Lily Evans: Memories
by Apolla Broadpath
Summary: These are the Memories of Lily Evans Potter from when she met her best friend to her sacrifice. She becomes a talented witch, finds friends, gets entwined in war and discovers true love. Completely canon with Pensieve scenes included. R&R
1. Prologue

**Lily Evans**

**Memories**

**Disclaimer: Don't sue me JKR! I'm just a defenseless Apolla that writes suckish stories! I DON'T own Harry Potter!**

_Quote: _"_The sacrifice which causes sorrow to the doer of the sacrifice is no sacrifice. Real sacrifice lightens the mind of the doer and gives him a sense of peace and joy." _

_-MAHATMA GHANDI_

**A/N: After this chapter, the chapters will be a very different style because I'm going back to her childhood. This might be a little cheesy.**

_Prologue_

_October__ 31, 1981_

I hear footsteps. He is coming. _He_ is coming for Harry. He has defeated James. _My James, _who _died _to protect us. And suddenly I know who I am to protect. Harry must live. I _must_ stand in Voldermort's way. Even if it means only buying a few more seconds of life, he must have them. I shriek."_No_t_ Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"_

_ "Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside now." _

What is he saying? Is he offering me life? Life without Harry or James? That would be hell! Why would he bother asking such a question?

_"Not Harry, please no take me instead, kill me instead," _I plead, _"Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy!" _

Lord Voldermort approaches me from the doorway with a cruel smile decorating his face. He points his wand at my chest. I try to model my face into defiance. But is impossible! My body shakes with unshed tears. I know he is going to kill me and I know that Harry will be his next victim. He's only a year old! How can this monster kill a child!

_"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy." _The words break from my lips. Useless words. Why do I bother asking, begging for my son's life to this merciless creature!

_"Avada Kedavra!"_

My first sensation after the curse hits me is obviously pain but then another feeling creeps up on me. I try to push it away because I know that sacrifice shouldn't be this easy, but I am weak and weary from the long walk from sunrise to sunset. Now I am peaceful.

And so, just like that, I die. I flip through my mind the faces of all the people I should be grateful for and for once I do not feel any pain. Most of these people are dead or have deceived or betrayed me. My friends. My family. Slughorn, Hagrid, Dumbledore, the Order, Mum, Dad, Kate, Di, Peter, Sirius, Remus, Helen, Alice, Mary, Marlene, Helen, Severus, James, Severus... James... Harry.

And I lead with the entire universe to give my beautiful baby boy a chance to grow into a handsome, brave loyal man like his father. I don't know how but even though this man who has made every mistake and misdoing imaginable, I don't see how the world could let him take life away from this special, amazing person. At the back of my mind, a small memory tugs at my mind and even though I can't focus on it, I think Harry is safe now.

I've already lived. I have many memories of happiness and heartbreak with these people. Many memories. One story.

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! Please write a review if you have time. I would really enjoy some feedback. Be as critical and mean as you like.**


	2. PART 1: ch1 The Strange Boy

PART I: Witch, Friend, Sister

Chapter 1

The Strange Boy

Disclaimer: This time I'm just gonna say it: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER! There! (sobbing)

Quote: "All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." –Galileo Galeli

_January__ 30, 1969_

That fateful day started just like any other day. It was a Friday. It was also my birthday. I, Lily Evans, was nine years old and, swept up in little girl triumph, was very proud. I was sure that nine was a very nice age to be.

It started just like any other day in Weavesbury, a small town in Cheshire. That morning my mother, Della Evans, had made my my favorite- cinnamon toast- and wished me a good day. At school, my teacher Miss Randolph had continued her class on long division and then had us write an essay. At play time my best friend, Megan, and I talked and laughed until the bell rang. After 2 more hours of lessons, I was free!

Petunia, our dog, Georgia, and I went, as usual, to the park at the edge of our village. Tuney and I loved the park, especially the playground in the center with the swings! We rushed there and I immediately climbed on the swings. I started to launch myself higher until it felt like I was right up in the clouds!

"Lily, don't do it!" Petunia called. She was such a worry wart and she had absolutely no guts at all!

She was the perfect child: she never had a speck of dirt on her immaculate blouse, she never worried her parents, she was popular, she was responsible, she never got in trouble, she had impressive grades at school, and, most of all, she looked out for me. She was 3 years older but she acted like she was 5 years older. It sometimes got annoying but at least I always had someone I could confide in and trust. Everything was going to be different next year. Petunia would be eleven in March and she had been accepted into Rosemary Vines Private School in Bridgefield, a boarding school in Leicestershire where she would only be home every other weekend.

I, like her, was careful and serious. I was more creative and I loved to read and just daydream about what it would be like to fly or be able to change shape. I was almost always in trouble, mostly because I often did things my parents deemed "dangerous", like now even though I was always reassured by a certain feeling in my chest that told me I was safe. I could also always tell what someone was feeling and if they were telling the truth.

I ignored Petunia. I could take care of myself! Finally I leaped off the seat and flew into the sky, then landed neatly on my own two feet.

"Mummy told you not to!" Petunia squealed, rushing to my side. "Mummy said you weren't allowed, Lily!"

"But I'm fine! Tuney, look at this. Watch what I can do." I picked a tulip and started making it open and close just with my mind. I hoped it would cheer her up but I was wrong. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth went small. I knew that look. It was Petunia's what-are-you-doing-I'm-sure-it's-wrong look.

"Stop it!" shrieked Petunia. She really was silly sometimes! You'd think I was setting a boa constrictor on her by the way she was reacting.

"It's not hurting you!"But I closed the blossom and threw it away, anyway. It wouldn't do me any good to get on Petunia's bad side. When I was 3, she threw a huge tantrum just because I accidently turned her teddy bear into a ladybug **(A/N: HA HA Remind you of anyone?).**

"It's not right," Petunia said, shuddering. _Sure, everything is always right around here. _I thought. _I t wouldn't be the first time I did something unusual._

"How do you do it?" demanded Petunia with a hint of longing and a little curiosity in her voice. I smiled. Finally, I was getting somewhere with her.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said a voice from behind the clump of bushes. I whipped my head around in time to see a boy with greasy black hair, sallow cheeks and odd black clothes jump out. He blushed. I studied him carefully. I'd definitely never seen him around town or at school before.

"What's obvious?" I asked defiantly.

The boy glanced quickly at Petunia who was hovering next to the swings. He had a look of nervous excitement on his face that I didn't like one bit. He lowered his voice and said, "I know what you are." As if I didn't know! I was human like him. Was this some sort of clever joke?

"What do you mean?"

"You're…a witch," he whispered. I closed my eyes for a few seconds and let this sink in. It seemed..right. When I opened my eyes anger burned at them.

**Cliffy, I know. You'll be getting more of Severus Snape in the next chapter. R&R. I write anyway but please review and give me a hint. I haven't gotten that many reviews so far and I would really appreciate some more (say, 5). I don't have a clue what I'm doing or what you guys expect from the chapters and the story so tell me, really. **

**Has anyone seen the trailer about the Deathly Hallows part 2? I am so excited, are you? I love how it's coming out in the summer. Personally, I think they stressed certain parts too much and I hope that's not what they did in the movie because there are so many complex parts and I will be disappointed if ONE of them is left out. For instance, if they do what they did in Order of the Phoenix with Snape's Memory to the Prince's Tale, I will scream. **

**I did edit this chapter a little because I have a clearer idea of what I want to do with the story. Mostly I edited Lily's character because I know I want to develop the whole 'brawny over brainy' Gryffindor thing. JKR believes that courage is the most important trait in the world (I am not being sarcastic, making this up or criticizing.) yet I disagree. **

**Also, I added the location of Lily's town. Both Weavesbury and Bridgefield are fictional, as well as Rosemary Vines Private School. Severus is supposed to live in a fictional town called Mill Town. Also, Lily's father is a doctor, just a random fact that I made up.**

**Also, you can expect longer chapters next time.**

**Apolla**


	3. PART 1: ch2 A witch?

Chapter 2

A Witch?

**In this chapter Lily is going to get mad at Snape and then they'll become friends. Sorry it took so long to write. I had writer's block. I couldn't think how to make Lily do what's in the book and still seem nice! Anyway, I managed! Half of this chapter is in the Pensieve and the other half isn't. The next chapter completely isn't. It will be mainly character development and filling in a few gaps.**

_**Disclaimer:**___**JKR: Apolla, who owns Harry Potter?**

** Apolla: I do, of course!**

**JKR: Are you sure?**

**Apolla: Of course! It's all me and me and ME!**

**Lavender: (pops out at me) WON-WON!**

**Apolla: AHH!**

**JKR: Tell the truth and I'll call her off!**

**Apolla: Okay, OKAY.**

** Lavender: (pouts)**

**JKR: Well?**

**Apolla: I don't own Harry Potter! (sob)**

**Quote: **"It is by chance that we met, by choice that we became friends."

A witch? Surely he must be insulting me! Either that or he was mad. Yes, that must be it. But why would he insult me? What had I done to him? Maybe he just didn't like anything out of the ordinary, like Tuney, except he wasn't polite enough to just ask to stop. I gave him an affronted look.

"That's not a very nice thing to say to somebody!" I said, angrily. I turned around with my nose in the air. I was trying to act like Petunia would in this sort of situation. I'd seen her do it often enough. I was halfway to Petunia when he shouted, "No!"

His voice sounded a little desperate, as if he really was sincere. His face was red with humiliation and frustration. I wondered why he didn't take off his enormous coat. It was January, but it wasn't _that_ cold.

Petunia looked at him with disapproval and I copied her. She was an expert at getting rid of people and I definitely did _not _want to spend any more time with the boy! Petunia hung on to a swing and I grabbed it too.

"You are! You are a witch. I've been watching you for a while! But there's nothing wrong with that! My mum's one and I am a wizard!" he explained impatiently. He looked at me sincerely.

Who was this boy? He didn't look mad but he certainly was acting like it. What did he mean his mum was a witch? Surely he couldn't be serious. I studied him. He did look truthful. I shook myself. _Lily, if you're not careful, you might start believing him!_

Petunia laughed. Until now she had been cowering disapprovingly next to me. But her courage had come back! "Wizard!" she shrieked, "I know who you are! You're that Snape boy." She turned to me and explained, "They live down in Spinner's End by the river. Why have you been spying on us?" Disapproval and spite lined her every word. She was so clever sometimes. Maybe guilt would push him to tell the truth!

"Haven't been spying," said Snape. His lies were getting taller and taller! At least Petunia's question had made him a little uncomfortable. "Wouldn't spy on_ you _anyway! _You're_ a muggle!"

Petunia looked both confused and defiant. After all, it was impossible to mistake his words. I felt a new surge of anger coming. How dare he insult my sister!

"Lily, come on! We're leaving!" Finally! I followed Petunia out of the park not even glancing at the boy, Snape.

We were almost home when I remembered Mable. We'd left her behind! I ran back to the park, calling her name.

"Mable, Mable!" I cried until I was hoarse. Suddenly, Snape popped out at me.

"There you are!" he exclaimed, "I was waiting for you to come back. I know where your cat is."

I was relieved. I didn't care who had found. I followed Snape to a little clearing I'd never been to. It was gorgeous with flowers everywhere. Right in the middle was Mable. She was snoring peacefully.

"Let's not disturb her," I whispered. Snape nodded and grinned. He lay back on the soft ground. I sat, my legs curled in front of me as I watched my cat.

"You do believe me, right?" Snape demanded, suddenly startling me out of my reverie. I stared at him, confused. He really seemed like a nice boy. I didn't want to disappoint him. Anyway, I was starting to believe him! I don't know why. I just couldn't stop thinking things like '_Does that mean I have magic power? and 'Why can't I see any other witches?'_

"I really don't know, Snape. Could you explain a little, maybe?"

He looked pleased. "Of course! But could you call me Severus. Snape's my surname."

He immediately started telling me about the magical world. He explained about Muggles and Muggleborns and Hogwarts and almost anything you could imagine! We spent hours in the clearing, him explaining and me asking about a million questions. It wasn't just the folklore-like novelty that intrigued me, it was his willingness. In my mind's eye, I could see us becoming friends. At about six o'clock, I finally checked my watch.

"Oh, no! We've been here hours! I should be getting home!" I looked disappointed. That had been one of the most fun afternoons of my life! I think Severus noticed because he asked if we could meet here tomorrow.

"That would be great! I'll see you tomorrow then! Say, 10:00 am?" I said, relieved. I scooped up Mable and ran home. I opened the door and-

"SURPRISE!" shouted my family, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" I looked around. My parents had decorated the walls with streamers and the floor with confetti. In the middle of the dining table stood an enormous birthday cake and around it were bowls of chicken legs, fish and chips from the shop down the road, crisps, and candy. There were also cups with my favourite drink, vanilla milkshake, in them.

"Does it look alright?" asked Mum with concern. "I would scold for coming home so late but you gave me enough time to finish everything!"

"It looks amazing! Thanks Mum!" I said sincerely, "This is the best party ever!"

That night, after an astonishing birthday dinner, I was reading _The Secret Garden_ for the tenth time when Petunia came in.

"Where were you this afternoon?" she demanded, "You weren't with that Snape boy, were you?"

"As a matter of fact, I was. He's very nice and he's a good friend. AND-" I wasn't sure how to continue. I had to tell her what I was. But how? "And he informed me I was a witch." I whispered quickly.

"A WHAT?" Petunia shrieked, "Has he brainwashed you? You believe him!"

"Goodnight, Petunia!" I said, indicating the door.

"But-"

"I said _Goodnight!"_ I cut her off. She left muttering. Suddenly she turned around.

"You're _**freaks!**_" Petunia shouted, "You and that Snape boy!" I felt like she had slapped me. I went to bed but did not have pleasant dreams.

_I am alone. Suddenly, I am surrounded by witches, cackling. I am in a big, boiling cauldron .I am burning! I hear Petunia's shrill voice echoing._

"_FREAK!"_

**And there you have it. Petunia has called Lily a freak for the first but not the last time. Did you like it? Love it? Hate it? REVIEW! **

**-Apolla**

**PS: I REALLY WANT REVIEWS, my feelings are getting hurt!**


	4. PART 1: ch3 Freaks and A Friend

Chapter 3

Freaks and a Friend

**Sorry it took so long to update! I was busy writing some of my own stuff and a new version of Victoire and Teddy and I was away for a few days! **

**When I was writing this, I couldn't think how I could fill two years until Hogwarts. So I decided to go straight to when she gets the letter. Sorry! Thanks to the reviewers! Keep reviewing! Anyway, enjoy!**

**A few notes: **

**Just so everyone knows I am being historically correct. 8/1/1971 was a Sunday. In fact I'm trying to be as correct as possible on everything. **

**Also, the conversation between Snape and Lily is from the Pensieve. I try to put as many Pensieve scenes as possible. **

**Apolla**

**Disclaimer: JKR: Apolla, who owns Harry Potter?**

**Apolla: I do, of course!**

**JKR: Are you sure?**

**Apolla: Of course! It's all me and me and ME!**

**Cho: (right in my ear) Mistletoe!**

**Apolla: AHH!**

**JKR: Tell the truth and I'll write her out of the book!**

**Apolla: Okay, OKAY.**

**Cho: (sobs about Cedric "Pretty-boy" Diggory)**

**JKR: Well?**

**Apolla: I don't own Harry Potter! (sob). No delete her!**

**JKR: You didn't do the Unbreakable Vow! (smiles)**

**Quote: **He that is thy friend indeed,  
>He will help thee in thy need:<br>If thou sorrow, he will weep;  
>If thou wake, he cannot sleep:<br>Thus of every grief in heart  
>He with thee does bear a part.<br>These are certain signs to know  
>Faithful friend from flattering foe." –William Shakespeare<p>

_More than a year later..._

_August 1, 1971_

The sun rose early on August 1rst but I rose just as early! It was a Sunday so Mum, Dad and Petunia slept in as usual. I had about four hours to figure what to do with Severus's help (hopefully!). In two years I had never mentioned my powers to my family. Now what would I do if an owl flew in through the window and a wizard (probably in all wizard attire) climbed out of the fireplace saying I was a witch?

I had been panicking for weeks before, much to Sev's amusement. I had even started to believe that Petunia had been right all along Sev was making it up.

At eight o'clock, Sev arrived I left a note for Mum & Dad and we jumped on our bikes to go to the playground. This was a weekend tradition that we'd been practicing for years. We left our bikes to the side and I ran to the swings where I performed the same trick as I had two years ago.

"The Ministry can punish can punish you if you do magic outside school, you get letters." said Severus, gazing at my trapeze act.

"But I _have _done magic outside school!" This was the last thing I wanted to talk about but at least it took my mind off things.

"We're all right. We haven't got wands yet. They let you off when you're a kid and you can't help it. But once you're eleven," he nodded importantly, "and they start training you, then you've got to go careful."

I pondered this. It would be hard. But not too hard. I picked up a stick and twirled it playfully as if it was a wand. Then the doubt that had seizing me all week crept back into my mind. "It's _is_ real, isn't it? It's not a joke? Petunia says you're lying to me. Petunia says there isn't a Hogwarts." He frowned. Petunia and Severus were not on speaking terms. That didn't mean they were below talking _about _each other. "It _is _real isn't it?"

"It's real for us. Not for her. We'll get the letter, you and me."

"Really?"

"Definitely."

"And will it come by owl?"

"Normally. But you're muggle-born, so someone from the school will have to come and explain to your parents."

"Does it make a difference being Muggle-born?"

"No, it doesn't make any difference."

"Good."

"You've got loads of magic," said Sevvy. I wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure me or himself. "I saw that. All the time I was watching..."

"How are things at your house?" I asked suddenly.

"Fine," he said though I knew enough to know he was lying.

"They're not arguing anymore?"

"Doesn't your Dad like magic?"

"He doesn't like anything much," said Sev.

"Severus?" I liked saying his full name though he usually didn't. Now, though, a smile twisted his face.

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the dementors again," I requested, realising how worried my voice sounded.

"What d'you want to know about them?"

"If I use magic outside school-"

**Oh my god! I hate copying all this stuff down! Go find your copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and look it up for yourself! On the hardcover Scholastics edition it's bottom of p. 667! After the Pensieve sequence:**

I ran after Petunia shouting apologies, "Tuney, stop! I'm really sorry! He didn't mean it!"

She wheeled around. "He did! You know he did! You've been making excuses for him for two years! Well I've just about enough!" She hadn't to me this much in two years. In her voice I could feel the hurt and anger. But I could also sense the loathing and the jealousy. Was Petunia envious of me? Of Severus?

"Oh Tuney!" I ran to hug her. She quickly pulled away from me. "Get away from me you-you freak!" She ran away. How could Petunia have changed so much? Had I been blinded for two years by her illusion of contempt and perfection?

Petunia reach the front door of our house, her face contorted with rage.

"Please don't tell Mum and Dad!" I begged, "Today's really important to me! Because-"

Petunia cut me off. "I know why. Today the oh-so –brilliant Lily gets accepted into the freak school. I heard you and the boy talking about it," she said spitefully.

Suspicion crept over me like a cold breath of wind on a winter day. "How long have you been spying on us?"

"Just about a year," she said offhandedly before slamming the house door in my face. I stood looking at the oak door for quite a while, thinking. Finally someone tapped my shoulder. It was Sev. Behind him stood our bikes.

"You forgot your bike," he explained.

"Thanks," I said coldly.

Oh come on, Lily! You aren't still upset about what happened earlier!"

"It was wrong. You shouldn't use magic on Muggles like that."

"She was asking for it!"

"She's my sister!"

"So?"

I couldn't believe this! "So I care about her! Do you even know what it's like to love someone?"

"I do!" he said defiantly.

"Name three people you care about."

"You, my mum, and… my dad."

"You know that's not true! You hate Muggles!" We were arguing now. His face was earnest. Mine was angry?

"Look, I'm sorry Lily!"

"Apologise to her!"

"Can I at least make it up to you?" he asked, ignoring me.

"How?"

"You don't have to worry about your parents. Me and my mum are going to deliver the letter and explain to them."

A few hours later my nails were impatiently tapping on a side table in the living room of my house. After Sev's sudden announcement he had explained that his mum, Eileen, had requested to Dumbledore that she be the one to explain Hogwarts and my nature to my parents. This was good because having a wizarding adult might make the take the letter more seriously, especially since they had met Eileen once before. Severus told me that he and his mum would drop by at around eleven o'clock, when my parents would have already had breakfast and even Petunia, who usually skipped breakfast or only had fruit, would be up and dressed. They would bring the letter and my parents would read it and Eileen would explain anything they needed.

They arrived exactly two minutes after eleven. My mum was surprised but I heard her gladly let mother and son in. She showed them into the living room. "Lily, Severus and his mum are here and they said they want to talk to us about something."

She left us while she went to get my father. She returned minutes later with him and a crystal fruit bowl. Severus put on his best polite, but charming grimace and stood up. He walked to my mother and said "Mrs. Evans, would you like some help with that?"

My mother appeared confused, but still carefully handed him the bowl, looking uncertain, as if he would take the first chance he got to bash it on the floor. She then walked the five meters to the sofa, sat and crossed her ankles. Severus set down the bowl on the tea table, picking an apple for himself and raising his eyebrows at me for permission. I nodded. After an awkward pause, Dad cleared his throat and said "Let's quit all the ceremony and why don't you tell us why you came here." This speech might appear blunt and unfriendly but my dad was the sort of person that could say just about anything and get people to understand he meant it good-naturedly.

"Here," Mrs. Snape murmured, handing my father the letter. "It's about Lily. She's already read it. I must warn you this might come as a shock."

There was another long breath of silence, though it was a lot less awkward and tenser than the last one. I tried to read Mum's face but all I could see was a deepening frown. After the letter was read and reread, my mother spoke: "Eileen, you know how much I respect you but I have to ask, is this a joke?"

"No, Della. I know you must be _surprised_, but this the truth. Lily found out January before last, when Sev saw her doing magic and explained about her powers."

I decided to speak up. "It's true, mum. And I needed to keep it from you because I knew you wouldn't be able to believe me and it just wasn't the right time."

Dad sat forward, his hands clasped. "I remember when you were smaller, you kept doing these extraordinary things. You once pretended to be a fairy, you picked up a stick to pretend to cast a spell and for a split-second I thought I saw a pair of actual, glowing wings. I never understood it but I want you to know that whatever it is, I accept and I want you to embrace. But this letter, it's about a school. Do you want to go?"

Eileen jumped in at that point. "It's free, you know. The only thing you need to worry about is the school supplies. I would be glad to take Lily with Severus and I. As you can probably guess, they can't be bought at any shop."

"Lily?"

"Yes, Dad, I want to go _so_ badly. It would be amazing. It's supposed to be a talent!"

"Della?" My dad looked at Mum. "If you're alright with it, I want to send her there."

"You're right. Lily, you will go to that school and we will support you in whatever you do."

Petunia rushed into the room at that point, her face stormy. "So you two are actually letting her go? She shouldn't be going to a loony school. She should be getting help! Her and those Snapes, they should be treatment! They're crazy! We should at least be pretending they aren't what they are! They are FREAKS, Mum!

Both my parents stood. "Petunia! Apologize at once! These people are our friends and Lily is your sister. I expect you to be more understanding than that. Go to your room. You need time to think things through."

**And that is chapter 3! I have to admit, the response I've been getting hasn't been ideal. Three reviews and no favorites or story alerts. If you don't like this story, at least tell me because my feelings are honestly getting hurt. I'll be away in three weeks and I hope to get to Hogwarts at that point. I also hope to put up Victoire and Teddy: His Lips on Mine soon, so if anybody likes major fluffiness, I recommend it. Bye!**

**Apolla**


	5. PART 1: ch4 Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley

_August 31, 1971_

**FYI: The Potter Boy, a story that I'm planning, is going to be a sequel to Lily Evans. That means I won't update until the end of this story. I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: JKR: Apolla, who owns Harry Potter?**

** Apolla: I do, of course!**

**JKR: Are you sure?**

**Apolla: Of course! It's all me and me and ME!**

**Gilderoy Lockhart: Fame is a fickle friend, Apolla!**

**Apolla: AHH!**

**JKR: Tell the truth and I'll Obliviate him!**

**Apolla: Okay, OKAY.**

** Gilderoy: (sweeping his hand through his luscious blonde hair) Celebrity is as celebrity does.**

**JKR: Well?**

**Apolla: I don't own Harry Potter! (sob)**

**Quotes:** "The most interesting thing in the world is another human being who wonders, suffers and raises the questions that have bothered him to the last day of his life, knowing he will never get the answers." – Will Durant

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Lily," Severus said as the wall between the Muggle world and the magical one opened before my eyes.

The street in front of me was very dusty lined with shops containing the strangest goods I had ever seen, and a huge white brick building that with gold details. Many witches and wizards passed in richly coloured robes and whose Muggle-clad children carried cauldrons filled with what I could barely recognise as school books, quills, and ink. The few Muggles were very recognisable, mostly because of their bemused faces.

The strangest thing was the way that nobody seemed to be noticing anything weird. They acted like Muggles busting around Sainsbury's. They just went about their business as if all the extraordinary things were tricks of my eyes.

"Lily?" Severus groaned, waving his hand in front of his face, "You act as if you've never seen this stuff before!"

I rolled my eyes. "That's because I haven't!"

"What about at my place?"

"Your house is different. It's smaller, and it still has to look a little, well, Muggle."

"Severus, Lily, come on!" said Mrs Prince, Sev's mum, as she pulled on her son's shoulder, "We've got all your stuff to buy and I need to buy some more Floo powder.

A wicked grin spread across Severus's face. "That's alright, mum. Lily and I can buy stuff ourselves. You can do your shopping while we do ours. We could meet up at," Severus made a bi show of checking his watch, "At, oh let's say, four."

"Sevy, are you sure you can manage. You've only been in Diagon Alley a few times and Lily's never been!"

Sev shot a giggling me a dirty look before smoothly answering his mum: "I'm going to Hogwarts in a week, Mum. You should stop being so protective! I can manage!"

Eileen shot me a conspiratorial look before saying "Oh, so if you can manage without me, I'm sure you can manage going to Gringotts without the key."

"Well we can all go to Gringotts first I suppose..."

I was confused about what Severus and his mum were talking about until we arrived in front of the huge white building. An engraved sign hung above its huge brass doors:

_**Gringotts**___**Bank of England and Northern Ireland Treasury of the Magical World**

"Alright. You two wait outside," Eileen said, "Lily, did your parents give you some money to exchange?"

I past her a 100 pound note. Mum and Dad had given it to me telling me to keep the change for anything I might want. Eileen bustled passed the two goblins in uniform, leaving me and Severus outside.

"Come on, Lily!" Sev pulled me to a shop window. Inside were several broomsticks on display. He saw my bemused stare and explained "This is Quality Quidditch Supplies, home of the best racing brooms in England!"

"Sorry, what did you say?" I asked, looking at him as if he was crazy.

"Quidditch is the most popular sport in Britain. It's played on broomsticks. I'll explain later. The point is this broom at the bottom is the Silver Arrow 3000, best racing broom of the season."

I was still confused (how could a game be played on broomsticks?), but I couldn't help but be interested.

When Severus had finished inspecting the brooms, he moved on to a shop called Flourish & Blotts which I immediately recognised as a books shop. In the window, there were no novels or biographies, but a multitude of spell books and manuals on transfiguration, divination, astronomy, and potions. I was a little disappointed but he was mesmerized.

"There you are, Severus!" called his mother. "I thought I told you to stay in that spot!"

"Sorry, Mum."

Eileen nodded and withdrew from her purse a handful of gold, bronze and silver coins and passed them to Lily. Then she passed Severus her purse, warning him to only spend the money on school supplies.

As soon as his mother was out of earshot, Severus whispered, "Let's go to Knockturn Alley!"

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's a really cool street with tons of dark arts stuff!"

"I don't think that's a good idea. We should get our school things first." Whenever an adult was gone, I always felt responsible to do what they would expect me to. Severus, on the other hand, though completely reliable, often took advantage of an adult's absence. In any case, the term dark arts frightened me because I had not yet experienced the certain dangers of the wizarding world and in most books, the dark arts were a thing of evil.

"Fine," Sev said dejectedly. He led me to an ancient shop with a sign that proclaimed "Ollivander, wand maker." Inside were about a million long, thin shoeboxes and an old man.

"Hello," he said, "Hogwarts? Well I'm sure I've got something for you. Boy, didn't I make your mother's wand?"

"Yes, sir." said Severus.

"Ah, yes. Ivy, 11", rigid, core of dragon heartstring." Ollivander turned to me. "And you? I'm sure your parents have never set foot in this shop."

There was an awkward pause before Severus replied. "This is Lily Evans, sir. Lily's Muggle-born." He swallowed.

"Ah, of course. You first, young man." Ollivander waved Severus over to the counter and took out a shoebox. Severus gave me a meaningful look before taking the wand and waving it around. A few papers rustled dozily. Sev repeated this ritual several times with ever more disastrous outcomes. Finally, he waved a wand and all the lights of the shop suddenly turned on.

"Interesting choice," muttered Ollivander.

Severus was observing the wand. "Why, sir? It's blackthorn, isn't it?"

"Yes, young man," he said, trying to look as comforting as possible. Sev had looked a bit nervous when Ollivander said the word "interesting", maybe expecting some sort of glitch. "And the core is of unicorn hair. It happens that your wand's brother was bought just a few minutes ago. And the length: 11", rigid, like your mother's."

"But, sir, why is the wand so special? What brother?"

"In time, you will find out. Now, Lily, try this wand." Ollivander handed me a wand and I eagerly took it. I closed my eyes and imagined turning Sev's shoe box into a crystal ball. I waved the wand and opened my eyes. There a small clear marble in the box. The spell had failed but I looked at the marble wide-eyed because that was the first piece of magic I had done since I realised that I was a witch.

"You are a talented witch. Aiming a little high, don't you think? This wand is made of fine willow, 10 3/4", swishy, phoenix feather, excellent for charms work," Ollivander chuckled as he packed up the wands and placed them on the counter. "That will be ten galleons for the elder and twelve for the willow."

Sev and I dug out our gold and took our wands. "Thank you!"

Several hours later, I fell onto my bed and dumped my new school stuff onto it. We had been all over Diagon Alley. Everything we got was unusual: the books, which had moving pictures, the cauldron, and the robes. I opened the shoe box to get out my wand. There, on top of the wand was the marble. It was engraved with the words: _Good luck!_

The next day, I was going to Hogwarts!

**Sorry for cutting the chapter short! But if I had done the entire Diagon Alley trip, it would have taken ages and it would have taken ages and it would be very boring. I'm sorry that i didn't put any other Hogwarts students in this chapter. I think most Hogwarts students don't really go the day before the train. At first this chapter was really boring to write but then I got to Ollivander's. The wands were really fun. I was restricted with Lily's because it said what her wand was in the Philosopher's Stone but Snape's was so cool because I made it out of elder (there have been other elder wands) for bad luck but my beta reminded me that it wasn't a good fit (THANKS, TribalGirl) and it has a brother...**

**Keep reading and reviewing! SERIOUSLY! I NEED FEEDBACK! I promise not to update if I don't get at least 3 reviews (no repeats!)!**

**-Apolla**


	6. PART 1: ch5 The Hogwarts Express

_**Chapter 5**_

_**The Hogwarts Express**_

**Sorry for the long gap. Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned harry potter but I don't. That amazing right goes to J.K Rowling (which, I have recently discovered, is pronounced like 'bowling' and not 'row'-ling). Any reproduction of real events or names of places and people is accidental, or is it? Kidding!**

**JKR: Apolla, who owns Harry Potter?**

**Apolla: I do, of course!**

**JKR: Are you sure?**

**Apolla: Of course! It's all me and me and ME!**

**Umbridge: hem-hem!**

**Apolla: AHH!**

**JKR: Tell the truth and I'll make the Minister fire her!**

**Apolla: Okay, OKAY.**

**Umbridge: (takes out the EVIL quill.)**

**JKR: Well?**

**Apolla: I don't own Harry Potter! (sob)**

**Quote: (I found this quote interesting because of the whole detachment from Petunia thing)** _"__Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.__"- Andre Gide_

_September 1, 1971_

As much as I hate to admit it, Diagon Alley had been a welcome break from Petunia. Up until the moment I met Snape, my family had been the most important thing in the world to me. But Petunia was hurt and angry. During the final month she'd barely talked to me.

Petunia, my pristine, flawless sister who I had looked up to since I was two years old, was now shattered and betrayed. I didn't know that at the time because my sister always worked extremely hard to hide any emotion that could be surmised as weak. All I could see was that she was hurt and had been for a long time. Just that morning, Petunia had walked in while I was in the bathroom brushing my hair. When I came back in I saw her sitting on my bed, folding my clothes neatly into the trunk.

"Tuney?"

Petunia had jumped and turned around. She looked scared but not of me. "Oh, um, Lily," she had said shakily, "You should really work harder to arrange your clothes, it's a mess!" She had gotten up and put something in her pocket. I didn't know what but I wasn't too keen to find out.

We were at King's Cross Station between platforms 9 and 10, waiting for the Snapes. The ticket said platform 9 3/4. I suspected it was a similar process to that of Diagon Alley but there was no way I could be sure. Petunia sat on a bench, her nose buried in a sewing manual. Mum and Dad were writing out our house's address and the telephone number even though I assured them that the owl wouldn't need it and that there were absolutely no telephones at Hogwarts. As for me, I just stared as a few families with large trunks and odd animals disappear between platforms 7 and 8. After a fifteen minute wait, Severus, Mr Snape and Eileen strode up to my parents.

Mr Tobias Snape was an almost perfect duplication of his son. His skin, however, was much redder and he was bit plump. He had a look of disgust permanently glued onto his face that Petunia would start to replicate in the next few years whenever she was around me. He worked in the textile factory nearby and though he didn't earn much, the only money he spent on his family was the rent and a few necessary expenses that hid the fact that his wife was a witch. He smoked completely foul cigars and didn't eat much at home as his favourite after-work hangout was the local pub. He forbade Eileen to take a job because didn't approve of magic or women working, leaving Eileen struggling to feed and clothe Severus.

Eileen was thin and a bit sickly-looking. Sev had her nose and mouth. She fell in love with Tobias when she was eighteen, had graduated from Hogwarts without enough N.E. to be a Healer. She was pretty torn up and was working at an ingredient shop. Her parents insisted that they could use their connections but she was stubborn. She moved into a flat in Spinner's End and met Tobias. It was a summer romance and then she got pregnant with Sev and they quickly got married. They were happy for a total of seven months until she revealed who she was. He was confused and started on drugs. She doesn't complain about the abuse she gets because she blames herself. She wouldn't struggle at all if it wasn't for her son.

As for Severus, he resented his father and tried to protect his mother in his own eleven-year-old way. He hates when they argue because it's one of the few things that really scares him, which is why he's relieved to leave though he feels guilty about that.

But at King's Cross, they look like a perfectly respectable Muggle family. Severus wears old jeans and a feminine calico shirt which is only half tucked in, as if he wasn't sure what to do. Eileen wears a neat red button-down dress and Tobias wears a suit. I requested that Severus put up this appearance in front of my family and he was much too eager to comply. They quickly showed us the passage way between 7 and 8. Severus grabbed my hand tightly to go first.

"Don't be scared. Just close your eyes and follow me." And before I knew it we were in a whole new world of brass, wood and wizards. Sev didn't let go until my complaining sister came through. Petunia looked like she was trying to have a seizure. She turned and waited impatiently for Mum and Dad. They finally came through after a very rumpled Eileen and a very sniffly Tobias Snape.

"Dad!" Petunia whined. "You said I wouldn't have to touch magic! That is not normal! I'm going back!

"Petunia, we are all going to stay until Lily's train leaves, however long it takes," my father said coolly. He turned to me and said "Have a wonderful term, sweetheart! If you need anything, just send us an owl, alright?

I shook my head. Then Mum hugged me. "Be a good girl, alright? And work hard. Are you sure you haven't forgotten anything? If you're homesick, tell us. It's alright if you want to go home.

And then there was Petunia. "Bye, Lily," she murmured. I wanted to hug her but I knew she'd push me away. Instead, I just patted her shoulder. Then she turned and stalked to an empty bench.

"Lily!" exclaimed Severus from right behind my shoulder. "My mum wants to say goodbye."

I followed him to Eileen, who looked a good deal more cheerful than my parents and much less teary-eyed. "I suppose I'll see you at Christmas, then, eh?"

"Yeah, s'pose so"

"Good. Lily, I need to ask you to keep an eye on Severus, they give you much too much liberty at that school."

"If we want good seats, we've got to board now." So I followed him to the train door, my heart seemingly sinking to the bottom of my shoes. I turned back to wave to my family. Mum smiled reassuringly, but for some reason Dad looked alarmed. Then I saw Tuny walking decidedly to the door. "Come on," she said, pulling my hand to the bench she had fastened herself to since the trip through the platforms.

Before I had the chance to say anything, I saw Petunia pale hand hurtling towards my face as it collided hard. In less than a second, my hands were cupping the injured cheek. My eyes watered and eventually ran down my face. "Why did you do that? It really hurt!"

"You deserved it! Going off to that freak school! Not caring if I live or die! All preoccupied with being a-" Petunia flinched. "WITCH! A wicked, wicked witch!"

"You're not serious. It's, um, it's not a wicked, it's a talent!" Tuney turned but did not walk away. She just stood there. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination but it seemed like her shoulders were shaking. "I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen-" I tugged on her arm and then I didn't let go. "Maybe once I'm there- no, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

Petunia gasped and her face twisted up in horror. "I don't-want-to-go!" She dragged it out as if she wanted to permanently brand the moment into my mind with hot iron. She pulled her hand out of my grasp with a mysterious strength. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a- a-"

I looked around and saw what she meant before she said it.

"- you think I want to be a- a freak?"

And that's when I lost my sister.

Normally, I don't cry much. Over my entire eleven years I only remember crying when my Grandma died of cardiac arrest on Boxing day, my godmother couldn't remember me anymore and almost six months after I met Severus when I realised that Petunia and I would never regain the closeness we had shared **(Review if you want me to do a one-shot about this or just a bunch of drabbles that are companions to Lily Evans: Memories. I HAVE OTHER IDEAS!)**. But I just hold it in any longer. Petunia took advantage of this to tug her hand free. "I'm not a freak. That's a horrible thing to say!" I said my voice hoarse.

Petunia glared at me. Then a small smirk graced her face. With relish she murmured "That's where you're going. A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy... weirdos, that's what you two are." Her face twisted in disgust. "It's good you're separated from normal people. It's for our safety."

My eyes darted towards Mum and Dad, who were looking around Platform 7 ¼ in wonderment, curiosity and genuine happiness. I imagined Mum twenty-five years ago with my hair slightly pinker skin. She seemed just like me. _What would she do?_ My Mum, however sweet and kind she is, has a vile temper and is quite protective of her loved ones.

My eyes fixed on Petunia, who was waiting oh so patiently for my reply, victory burning in her eyes. My voice turned fierce and even though I'd expected my voice to be somewhat along the line of hysteria, it sounded low and strangely intimidating. "You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

Petunia's face turned a very satisfying plum colour. "Beg? I didn't beg!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"I saw his reply," I explained coolly, thinking I should probably restore amends before Petunia got hurt. "It was very kind."

"You shouldn't have read-" whispered Petunia, stumbling over her words. "that was my private-how could you-?

I felt uncomfortable, knowing full well I should have seen this coming. I glanced slightly Severus in explanation. He stood idly, staring at us. Petunia seemed to get even angrier.

"That boy found it!" (Right in one!) "You and that boy have been sneaking in my room!"

"No-not sneaking-" Now I'm on the defensive. "Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts, that's all! He says there must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of-"

I was cut off by my very judgemental sister. "Apparently wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" said Petunia, now as pale as she had been flushed.

**TADA! I started this chapter thinking it would last until Lily meeting James but it's already long and I was using the break to avoid have to copy **_**and**_** interpret the entire platform scene. But then I had some extra time. What did you think of the SLAP? Wait a sec, it's not **_**that **_**long! Maybe I'll write a bit more...**

"_Freak! _Petunia shouted again as her spittle landed on my blouse. Then she flounced off.

I glanced around the platform. My parents were standing worriedly a few metres away and Severus was with Eileen, burning me with his gaze. He was angry and he took one step towards Petunia before we locked eyes.

"Sev, don't!" I mouthed. Then I headed determinedly towards the train. A few minutes later, after searching the train and finding no empty compartments, I settled for a compartment filled with many, many rowdy boys.

I had a feint sense of recognition about a few but none really were interesting. They seemed like the type of boys that would, in my world, sass the teachers, ridicule the girls and talk about football matches all day long. They all looked my age, and a few were quite good-looking, not that I noticed. After at least five minutes, most of them left, probably noticing that even without me there would never be enough space for them all to sit.

I was too busy thinking. Before the train had left, I'd watched Petunia disappear through the portal back to the perfect world that she called normal. I thought about how she would spend her time during the first semester. She'd been accepted at a really good school two years ago. She was probably be very popular and got top grades at everything. Maybe, even get a boyfriend. She was, after all, almost thirteen and I'd noticed that recently she'd been looking a lot at boys. I thought about her forgetting me...

That last thought made me want to throw something. Maybe it I hadn't met Severus or decided not to go to Hogwarts then we would still be as close as we had been before my ninth birthday. Severus seemed to be personally responsible for Petunia's entire attitude in my mind. I felt like I just needed to be left alone. It was the worst time to feel this way as I was on board a crowded train on the way to a boarding school. I would not be alone for another ten hours probably. Speak of the devil! There he was! I suddenly felt very self-conscious. I stroked my hand across my eyelids and realised that tears had been streaking down my cheeks.

"I _don't_ want to talk to you," I said forcefully, my voice hoarse.

He blinked and his face tightened. "Why not?"

Finally my voice broke into hysterics. "Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore." I really wanted to replace the "we" with "you".

"So what?"

His coldness struck me like Petunia's slap. I glared at him. "So she's my sister!"

"She's only a-" I was only half paying attention but I could still fill in the blank and it made me even more infuriated. I was trying to wipe my eyes, hoping Sev hadn't noticed. He cleverly changed the subject and I was relieved. "But we're going! This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

I nodded just so he could see I was listening then smiled slightly.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," he continued cheerfully. This had been one of his favourite topics for a while now. Talking about the traditional Prince family house was like talking about England.

"Slytherin?" I whirled my head around as one of the two boys in the compartment with us spoke scornfully. I hadn't focused on them since I entered the compartment. There were only two now: a skinny kid with way too messy raven-black. He had quite flawless skin and round, chestnut brown eyes. The other one had deep, haunting grey eyes, and equally black, elegant and straight black hair. He was much taller and more muscled than his companion.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" curly-hair asked grey-eyes.

He kept his poker face. "My whole family has been in Slytherin." I looked to Severus for a reaction.

My instinctual feeling of dislike for the kid-that-hated-Slytherin was confirmed when he exclaimed "Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright!"

"Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

Severus made a small, disparaging noise. Bad Boy glared at him.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No, if you'd rather be brawny than brainy-"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected Bad Boy 2.

I was angry, and confused. Even though Bad Boy 1's loud guffawing next to his friend was barely distinguishable over the beating of my heart in my ears, I still accelerated the blood boiling in my ears. My parents had always told me never to act in anger so I stood and marched out, glowering at them.

Behind me I could hear them taunting Severus and just as I resolved to go back I heard the door slide shut. I stayed still and waited for him until he was beside me and we then walked to an empty compartment excepting two girls of around our age. One was tall and fair-haired with a few dark streaks. Her hair was short and spiky although it curved away from her face. Her doe eyes were a mix of green and brown with flecks of amber. She had a bunch of freckles scattered under her eyes and her posture could have been severely improved. The other girl also had blonde hair but hers was more golden. Her eyes were a classic sky blue. She was dwarfed by her comrade. Her complexion was much tanned, probably having been gone to somewhere around the Mediterranean over the summer. Her eyebrows were quite strange. They were brown and extremely diagonal. If her eyes weren't so innocent, she would have looked like someone not to be trusted.

We entered the compartment and they smiled at us. The latter stood and held out her hand. "Diana Hornbeam, future Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw and prefect. You are?" she pronounced, glancing past me at Severus.

"Yeah, yeah, Di, save the speech! Hi! I'm Marlene McKinnon," said the other girl with a thick Irish accent, "prankster-in-training and second-year Gryffindor."

They looked at me expectantly and it took me a few seconds to register that they wanted an introduction. "Oh, hi, I'm Lily Evans and this is Severus Snape. We're first years, too."

"Are you looking forward to the classes? I really want to try Potions and Charms and Transfiguration and all sorts of other stuff. Do you know what House you're going to be in? I really don't want to do Quidditch, maybe Gobstones or something," Diana was talking at an incredible speed. I noticed that she was a bit bossy and very diplomatic. She probably had her whole future planned out.

I think Marlene clued into the fact that I had no idea what half of what Di was saying meant. She smiled warmly and asked "You're Muggle-born, right? And _you're_ not? You know that's fine. It must be twice as exciting discovering this world along with Hogwarts. Well, sit down then." Marlene contrasted dramatically against her friend. She seemed so jovial all the time that no matter what she said, you still found yourself laughing along with her.

I looked at Severus. He was unsure but clearly more comfortable than with the boys. We spent two hours sitting with Marlene and Diana. Diana's legs were crossed as she read a newspaper with the headline 'More Attacks in Sussex Wizarding Villages'. Marlene was dozing as she unconsciously stroked her slim black cat. Severus murmured descriptions of the classes which had captured my curiosity when Di first brought them up. The sweets cart passed and we bought a packet of pumpkin pasties and liquorice wands because we figured we better be safe and not go for something as experimental as Bertie Bot's Every Flavour Beans.

At last, someone from another compartment popped their head in. She had chestnut brown hair curling past her shoulders and a quite plain face. She was a bit on the stout side and looked quite intelligent with her square glasses in front of these amazing cat-like amber eyes. "Hello, Marlene, Di, friends of Marlene and Di. The train's going to stop soon. You better change into your robes," she said, looking at me. She then paused to glance at my trunk, "Lily?" And, with that, she left.

I looked to Dianna for an explanation. "Mary McDonald. We met on the platform before the train left. She's probably headed for Ravenclaw, though I hear her mum was in Gryffindor." She sniffed a bit and continued. "If she and I are both in Ravenclaw, then she might beet me out for prefect."

After that explanation, I obediently left to change into my robes. When I came back, both Marlene and Severus were leaning out the window, probably looking out to see the very first glimpse of the Hogwarts grounds. Severus let me look out for a while and we then switched places again. Finally we stepped out of the train. It was dark and there was a lot of smoke because of the engine. However, I could see that we were in small and tradition station with red benches, a red bridge and beige brick walls. Beyond it, I could see a huge lake and a village in the distance.

"Oy, firs' years!"

**OMG that was the longest thing I've possibly ever typed up myself. 3, 390 words! So see you at the last part of PART I! That's only if I get enough reviews (say, 5) and more if you want a long chapter like this again! **

**-Apolla**

**PS: I've actually been to the station they used to film Harry Potter. The Hogwarts one, I mean.**


	7. PART 1: ch6 Merry Lament of Seperation

_**Chapter 6**_  
><em><span><strong>Merry Lament of Separation<strong>_

**A/N: I know it's incredibly uncreative of me to name this chapter that because it makes absolutely no sense except to me. R&R! Enjoy! **

**`JKR: Apolla, who owns Harry Potter?**

**Apolla: I do, of course!**

**JKR: Are you sure?**

**Apolla: Of course! It's all me and me and ME!**  
><strong> Percy Weasley: If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!<strong>  
><strong> Apolla: Not again...<strong>

**JKR: Tell the truth and I'll sacrifice him instead of Fred!**

**Apolla: REALLY? Okay, OKAY.**

**Percy Weasley: This is **_**not**_** a laughing matter!**

**` JKR: Well?**

**Apolla: I don't own Harry Potter! ****(sob)**

Severus, Diana, and I all turned simultaneously**. **I peered up at the smiling face of a middle-aged man with shaggy hair reaching to just past his shoulders and a short beard. His beady black eyes had such a twinkle that it made me immediately trust him. He did however have a quite alarming appearance because he was at least three metres tall. "Who is he?" I whispered to Severus. 

"I dunno. Mum never said anything about any half-giants around Hogwarts," he replied, evidently just as mystified as I was. 

"Giants?" I explained, a little alarmed. 

Sev raised his eyebrows mockingly at me. "Yeah, there are at least two tribes in England and hundreds around the world. They're dying out though. My mum says the Ministry is doing all they legally can to drive them to extinction. You probably won't see them, though. They usually stick to the mountains; though Mum said she once saw one stroll into Diagon Alley, cool as a cucumber. They aren't very clever." 

While we had been talking, a tight group of first years had gathered themselves around the man. Many of them were whispering like us. Marlene waved at us from a few paces away, where she was waiting for the carriages and said she would meet us after the Sorting. Meanwhile, Hagrid had started speaking again. "Firs' years, gather round. Now, I wan' ye all to pay attention. It's a bit darker than usual so I wan' yer to stick close together because we 'ad a little rain yesterday and as we're going to the bogs, it might be a little slippery. When we get down there, you firs' years will get into boats and ride ter Hogwarts. Yeh'll then get yer firs' glimpses o' Hogwarts and it is a fine sight to see, let me tell you." 

As soon as he finished speaking, most of the group started whispering loudly, Diana included. "What do you think the sorting will be like? My sister won't tell me anything and my brother and younger sister are too young to go yet. I hope the lake isn't rocky, I get nervous around water," she admitted. 

"Really? You couldn't seem less confident!" Severus interjected, carelessly. I don't think he ever likedher that much. 

"You could say it's a huge symbol for the fact that I really don't do well with anxiety and uncertainty. Like now. I just can't wait until I am safely at my house table." 

Sev smirked. I frowned at him then turned to Di. "You'll be alright. It's not a competition. Everyone is already in the school," I said. "And you are a strong, confident and clever witch and remember that this is coming from someone who has only known you for a few hours. Think of yourself like that."  
>Di smiled at me as the crowd started to move to a path behind the station. The half-giant had been right, it was very dark. And according to a kid's watch, it was only around 8 o'clock. Apparently we were somewhere in Scotland, and, it being Scotland, the ground was very wet. At one point, I slipped and a hand gripped my wrist to keep me from falling. I looked up to see Severus, his face in a sour line with a concerned frown. "Be careful! You don't want to have to go to the hospital wing and be late for the Sorting." <p>

He pulled me up and strode forward. A few seconds later, he tripped . I burst out laughing. "Gee, Sev, I sure hope you don't have to go to the hospital wing." He scowled and picked himself up, then took my hand in his. I looked at it and met his gaze. His face was showing no emotion. His eyes, however, showed that his last move had been full of uncertainty. I nodded and pulled him forward.  
>At last, when arrived at a crack in the foliage, I saw a lantern in the distance. I could barely see the shape of a lamp reflecting in the water.A few moments later, I saw the huge extent of the lake and above it, a grand castle that looked like something out of a fairytale. It seemed like a place where a magician, like maybe Merlin, would have his lair or where a princess would be trapped by a dragon. Except the many arches made me think of the stars and planets. <p>

It was apparently tradition that the first years ride over to the castle in boats. I'd been on a boat only twice before because Petunia easily got seasick. The first was on a ferry. The second was when we had been to visit friends of my parents, who lived next to the Thames and Dad had taken me canoeing. I was only seven at the time so I didn't know enough to be nervous and I was very exciteduntil I fell overboard. Dad had to pull me out, almost falling in himself.It is with that experience in mind that I climbedinto one of the boats. "If I fall in," I whispered to Severus, "do you think some monster will grab me?" 

"Maybe?" he said. When he saw my appalled face, he quickly took it back. "Probably not though. I mean, I think the dangerous ones all roam around in the depths. Besides, if you fall, I'll catch you, okay?" 

"Yeah, okay. I'd do it for you too, you know. We're best friends, right?" 

By the time we arrived at the other side of the lake, two first years had fallen into the water, though none had been attacked by monsters. Luckily, Di, Severus and I had all stayed in the boat. However, when Diana stepped foot on the castle grounds, she was breathing heavily. About halfway through the trip, though I had started to realise her breathing was getting shallower. I had started to get really worried. I hadn't know if it was a medical issue or her phobia; Severus had taken charge. "Diana, do you have asthma?" 

Di had inhaled deeply. Her face had become very pale and I had been so confused. All I had wanted was to call for help but we were quite near the front of the fleet of boats and I had thought Hagrid was at the end for security reasons. 

"Di?" Sev had said, trying to get her attention. 

"No. I just don't like the water. I'm really sorry. I just need to get to land and I'll be fine." 

I hadn't been tell if Severus was frustrated or scared. His eyes had shown concentration. "Lie down. It's the perfect place in the boat and the safest.You won't even see over the edge and you can just feel the rocking. It's calming and it'll help your breathing." He said this like a list but also with a strained tone. I had been feeling a bit sick at that point as well because I was so frightened. But I had also felt an incredible gratitude to Sev. He really hadn't been very open towards Di and Marlene but it really showed me a lot about his character that he would do his maximum to help someone who just felt petrified like that. 

Anyway, we arrived at the other side of the lake and I helped Diana out of the boat. She sat down on the grass and just breathed. I could see her face slowly returning to normal colour.The breezes coming from the water were so relaxing and I felt relieved. Severus still stood, waiting for the rest of the boats. When about four other boats had arrived, he strolled to my side. I sat up a little straighter, tired of worrying about Diana and so bored. 

"You know what comes next: the Sorting ceremony," he whispers, emphasizing the obvious. "And then, the feast and we are going to be sitting next to each other." 

"You don't know that. Nobody does," I reminded him. He greeted this statement with raised eyebrows and a sour expression. "I hope we are sorted together, though, of course." I added. 

By this time, the boat carrying the half-giant arrived, followed by the one containing the two toerags from the train and a smaller boy with a rat-like face, evidently having been up to something literally behind the chaperone's back. 

"Firs' years! Gather round. Is everyone here?" There were several nods and mumbled "yes"'s.

"Good, then. And you two, sniggering over there, don't think I didn't see you slip a frog in my hood. Yer lucky my hair's thick or the poor little blighter might have gotten serious skin problems." The two previously mentioned toerags grinned shamelessly. "Alright, then, on to the castle." 

The group of first years started to move forward. I quickly lengthened my stride to eventually catch up with our escort. "Um, professor-" 

"Hagrid. I'm no professor." He holds at his hand and I shake it rather awkwardly as they were so large. 

"Um, Lily Evans, nice to meet you. Anyway, Diana got really freaked out on the boat and got really pale. She looks better now but I don't know if she should go to the hospital wing or not." 

"She'll be fine. Just tell her to breath regularly and eat a lot at the feast. If she starts having problems after the sorting, then come find a professor." 

I nodded and slowed my pace down to eventually walk alongside Diana as I relayed our conversation. We spent the rest of the walk in silence and then finally arrived in front of the immense front door. A tall woman with wispy black hair and piercing grey-brown eyes stepped out, her ivy green robes rustling around her old-fashioned boots.Her face was tight and slightly wrinkled and a frown stood out very obviously. She was quite disconcerting with her evidently strict personality but I could tell that she was not particularly unkind. 

"Welcome, students, to your first year at Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall, your new Transfiguration teacher and deputy headmistress. In a few moments, I will escort you to the Great Hall for the Sorting ceremony. You will be sorted into one of four House: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Here, your house is like your family. All the Houses compete for the House Cup. My advice if you want to win: behave!" She then excused herself, saying she would be back in a few minutes. 

Almost the second the door slammed shut, chaos broke out amongst the students. I almost felt like standing up and telling them in a very composed way to shut up. I could see in a my peripheral vision the two boys from the train**.** I tried to avoid them but they'd already spotted me. 

"Oi, James!" the grey-eyed one called. "It's that Slytherin-wannabe and his girlfriend." 

The other one, James, looks over. "And so it is." He saunters over, putting on a phoney smile that I think is supposed to be charming. "Hey, red-head, I never the chance to ask you which house you want to be in?" 

"First of all, it's absolutely none of your business," I reply stiffly. "Second, since it's not a state secret, I would like to be in Slytherin." 

"You hear that, Sirius? This little girl thinks she's got what it takes to be in Slytherin! Listen, girl - " 

"Lily." 

"Lily, then. It takes more than just wanting to be is Slytherin to get in. You have to be downright evil. Are you evil?" 

"No, but you're vile!" I snap back, turning away. I could not believe that one human could be so arrogant! And to think we would be going to school together for seven whole years! There were a bunch shouts from the group behind James. "Maybe so but you're not." I almost believed in the compliment for a second until he continued: "Which is why somebody's not getting their wish today. Sorry!" 

Severus was looking at him with a death stare but his eyebrows weren't angry. They were uncertain, like there could be some truth in the toerag's words. His own words denied it, however. "Slytherin values cunning above all and Lily is one of the cleverest girls I've ever met. And you are _the_ most insolent boy I've ever had the misfortune of meeting." 

"Thank you, thank you very much," he said, bowing. 

At that moment, the great door clattered open. "The school is ready now." With a little flick of her fingers, the entire group of children started moving into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We arrived in front of two new gigantic doors, presumably leading to the dining hall. From inside, I could hear the laughter and chatter of at least two hundred students. It made my stomach churn thinking of having to go through some sort of mysterious ordeal in front of the entire school! 

Meanwhile, the group was queuing up in a single-file line. The door swung open and there **we** stood, facing four long tables, above which were hanging four banners of different colours. They were all lined with - maybe the appropriate term would be invaded with - students. One last table was set up at the front and accommodated the teachers, of which there were maybe twenty. I scanned the room for some sort of challenge but, to my relief, none was visible. All this I saw as the line moved forward through the middle aisle of the Great Hall. 

We arrived in front of a small stool. On it was a very old-fashioned hat.I assumed that one of the teachers must have forgotten it. Some of them looked ancient! 

By that time, most of my classmates were shuffling their feet and talking over each other; some - James for instance - weren't even bothering to whisper. The old hat opened its tear. 

You gotta get back to Hogwarts  
>You gotta get back to school<br>Gotta get yourselves to Hogwarts  
>Where ev'rybody knows learning is cool <p>

(big laugh) 

back to witches and wizards, and magical beasts  
>To goblins and ghosts and to magical feasts<br>It's all that I love and and it's all that I need at Hogwarts! 

Hogwarts!

You'll see your friends, gonna laugh and cry.  
>Take your broomsticks, gonna take to the sky<br>No way this years any one's gonna have apple pie, cause the house elves don't know how to make it!

It's been so long, but you're coming back  
>You will do work, you will go to class<p>

Welcome, all of you to Hogwarts  
>I welcome back you all to school<br>Did you know that here at Hogwarts  
>We've got a hidden requirement room?<p>

Welcome, welcome, welcome Hogwarts  
>Welcome, all you hotties, nerds, and tools<br>Now that I've got you here at Hogwarts  
>I'd like to go over just a couple of rules: <p>

(_**spoken**__: Hello, I am the Hogwarts Sorting Hat. I will sort all you little first years into the four Hogwarts Houses. No do-overs_!) 

Back to spells and enchantments, potions and friends 

To Gryffindors! 

Hufflepuffs! 

Ravenclaws! 

Slytherins! 

Back to the place where your stories begin 

Its Hogwarts, Hogwarts, (**spoken:**___I didn't hear you kids!_) 

STUDENTS: Hogwarts, Hogwarts! 

Everyone was laughing by the end of the song. Then suddenly Dumbledore clapped slowly. Everyone shut up. Then, starting with the older students, everyone was clapping quite solemnly as if they realised that the Sorting Hat was dead serious. I think it helped that the hat was now inanimate. Finally, Professor McGonagall, the teacher that had led us into the hall, shouted over the noise and the tables were quiet. She unrolled a long scroll of parchment. "When I read your name," she said shrilly, "please step over to the stool and place the hat on your head. Avery, Lewis!" 

A slender boy with a blotchy complexion and piercing amber eyes strolled casually up to the stool swept the hat off it, made himself comfortable and popped the hat on. After a few seconds of deliberation, the hat cried "SLYTHERIN!" 

It was the same with the next few people. Next was "Black, Sirius", the messy-haired kid's cohort. I think my first year self would have loved to report that he sauntered over to the chair arrogantly but he didn't. He walked like any ordinary stranger that you barely even glance at in the streets of London, avoiding eye contact. He was smiling as well, showing no signs of nervousness. Right before sitting down he glanced at his friend, who gave him a thumbs up. Maybe half a minute later he was sorted into... "GRYFFINDOR" 

Then "Bones, Amelia" became a "RAVENCLAW!", followed by "Broadpath, Jane" who also became a "RAVENCLAW!", and "Catchlove, Greta" who became a "HUFFLEPUFF!". By this point, I was getting a little nervous because my name was only two letters away. But I was a bit reassured by the ease of the sorting. I might not get sorted into the right house but at least I would not embarrass myself. 

"Diggle, Dedalus!" 

I heard a few sniggers. The whispy-haired boy who had stepped forward blushed scarlet. I turned slightly to see Severus only a few centimetres from me. He looked incredibly calm, as if he didn't care at all about the Sorting, which I knew wasn't true. "You seem awfully calm." 

"What's there to be afraid **of?** Everyone just goes where they want." 

Of course James had to butt in. "Actually, I once had a cousin who kept being nasty about Slytherins and..." He trailed off when he saw us glaring. 

I whirled around when I heard "Evans, Lily!" My legs felt weak but I started to move anyway. It took me ages to get to the stool but after that I felt like everything was moving far too quickly. Before I knew it I was sitting on the stool with the hag of a hat drooping over the top half of my face. 

"You've got brains," the hat whispered into my ear. I jumped. I hadn't realised it was going to talk to me. "You're quite loyal, too, though not necessarily to the right people. And there's a strength about you. Not physical but you're determined and willing to stand up for people for your friends. What shall it be: Hufflepuff or Gryffindor? Ravenclaw? You know what? I think even though you may think of yourself as a coward, you will protect a loved one with your life and that's real courage. GRYFFINDOR!" I remember realising the life-altering decision that it had made only a few seconds before it shouted out my new house. And the ironic thing is, remember how I said that even if I was sorted into the wrong house, at least I wouldn't be humiliated? Well, this was worse. Not only would Severus be heartbreakingly disappointed but that stupid messy-haired kid...ugh! I couldn't believe I could be thinking of someone so repulsive when I had just been thrown into a seven-year trial that didn't include Severus. 

With that same train of thought replaying over and over again, I dragged myself off the stool, swiped the hat off and almost raced to the Gryffindor table, avoiding eye contact with Severus though maybe not-so-accidently sneaking a peek at James, who, of course, was smirking. He nodded at me playfully. I sat slowly, a cold look on my face. I took a deep breath and faced Sev. He stared plaintively. I smiled a bit but I don't think he bought it. I bumped into someone sitting behind and turned to see Sirius Black, my fellow Gryffindor. He was mirroring James' expression. 

My attention turned back to the Sorting when "Hornbeam, Diana" was called. I smiled a**t** the golden-haired girl, grinning a little bit too broadly and furrowing her brow. Maybe a minute later she was announced as a Hufflepuff. 

McGonagall continued to plough her way through the list. The rest of the people I knew all went into Gryffindor: James Potter (unfortunately) and Mary McDonald, the brunette from the train. When Severus' name was called up, I couldn't help wondering if he could possibly be hoping to be sorted in Gryffindor. I knew Slytherin had been his dream since he was a little boy and that that had been his mother's house and I also knew that it would be selfish to want him to join me but I couldn't help wondering. You've got to see it from my point of view. I never had any particular interest in going in Slytherin or any other house as a matter of fact. I just wanted to be with Sev so we could help each other and have the experience together. But it wasn't my choice. He sat on the stool for a least a minute. I could feel the school around me getting restless. Then, all of a sudden, the hat fired the selected house out of its trap: "SLYTHERIN!"

**I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! But I think this break was good for me. I saw HP7p2 and Harry Potter the exhibition. I got my very own Time Turner!**  
><strong>About this Chapter: I did this in maybe three periods: at home, at my friends' house and at home again. It was immensely difficult writing Hagrid and t<strong>h**e entire journey to the castle so that's why I was avoiding it. I hope everyone will notice how quickly Lily's mind jumps to James w**h**en she just got Sorted. BTW, I **h**ated it in the movie how Lily was SMILING when she got off the stool. It's horrible! I know she's supposed to get Sorted in a second but I really like writing the hat's monologue. And I hope the ending wasn't too abrupt. I had a last section planned but unfortunately it wasn't working. I might squeeze it in next chapter. I'm going to stop rambling now. Before I stop I need to thank my incredible(-y critical). ****See ya! Review!**  
><strong>-Apolla<strong>


	8. PART 2: ch7 Bound

**Lily Evans Part 2**

**Chapter 7: Bound**

**A/N: Sorry for being late! I had no inspiration for first year! Then I thought about everything for, like, two months, just occasionally chopping away at the computer. Two weeks ago I realised that I had inspiration for the rest of the year's chapters (there will be four or five), but just not for this chapter. So what eventually came out were a few choppy different sections with cheesiness and cheapness. I'm sorry! I really am!**

**Disclaimer:**

**JKR: Apolla, who owns Harry Potter?**

**Apolla: I do, of course!**

**JKR: Are you sure?**

**Apolla: Of course! It's all me and me and ME!**

**Peter Pettigrew: Squeak!**

**Apolla: Not again... **

**JKR: Tell the truth and I'll sacrifice him instead of Sirius!**

**Peter Pettigrew: (in fear) **_**SQUEAK!**_

**Apolla: REALLY? Okay, OKAY.**

**JKR: Well?**

**Apolla: I don't own Harry Potter! (sob)**

_"Stay" is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary.-Amos Bronson Alcott (Louisa May Alcott's dad, philosopher, teacher)_

I lay in my bed in the Gryffindor 1rst year girl's dorm rooms, knowing that Sev wasn't even in the same tower. The lights weren't off yet. Some of my roommates weren't even in pyjamas. There was Alice Prewett, who was describing her cousin's gigantic wedding to celebrate her entry into the even more gigantic Weasley family, Mary McDonald, who was listening, Emmeline Vance, in bed and pleading with Alice to stop so she could get some sleep, and Pippa Marchbanks, who was in the shower.

"So," said Alice, "Since this is our first night, we should get to know each other a little bit."

"Why?" demanded Pippa, who came out of the shower wrapped in a towel. "We have seven years to do that, not to mention hours in the day when we're _not_ supposed to be sleeping."

"No, I agree," said Mary.

I sat up and arranged my pillow into a backrest. I asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Nothing in particular. I'm Alice Prewett. I'm an only child but I basically grew up next door to my cousins, Gideon, Fabien and Molly..."

I eventually fell asleep to the tune of murmurs of young, enthusiastic and friendly girls. I just didn't realise how nice they were then.

"...If you have not mastered the spell in class must practise tonight. Class dismissed."

It was only two hours into the very first day and I was completely confused. First hour I had Transfiguration class with Professor McGonagall, at which I seemed to be completely useless. I had no idea what anything was about. I could keep up -barely- but when I tried to turn anything into anything into anything else, I couldn't _do_ anything. Then we had Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Grimoire. I wasn't horrible at that but I was a little bit distracted because the professor seemed to be very worried about something. I think at one point he even something about needing to have all our wits about us in the current climate. It was now lunch time in the Great Hall, which I was avidly looking forward to. The food served at every meal was amazing! I don't know how they did it. It's as if everything was magic-ed into tasting incredible. I sat down and put a slice of pork pie on my plate along with a potato and some peas. Before I could start eating, Mary and Pippa plopped themselves on either side of me and Emmeline and Marlene, who I had not seen since the Sorting, sat across.

"Professor McGonagall really doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to Transfiguration. Did you hear her: _'Transfiguration is an elaborate art. It takes decades to master but I am expecting that in the next seven years you will work tirelessly to reach as high a level as possible,'_" Pippa mimicked in an inaccurate twittering voice.

"I'm fairly certain she said the exact same thing to us last year," remarked Marlene.

Emmeline raised eyebrows, opened her eyes wide and feigned disbelief. "She seemed so nice though yesterday!" she said sarcastically.

By this time I had started to finish my plate as fast as possible. I had a mission: I needed to eat quickly enough to have time to talk to Severus. It was imperative that I talk to him. I had no idea what he thought about me being in Gryffindor. Probably he felt disappointment but unfortunately, there's was nothing either of us could do about. I just hoped he was willing to continue being best friends even if we were in rival houses. I could see him across the hall. His eyes were downcast-they often were- and he was slowly eating his food, ignoring the array of boisterous young students around him. I wished he would look up and see me. I was by that time almost finished with my meal and I had no intention of spending one more second at the Gryffindor table than I needed to. Finally, I saw Severus stand and I followed just a little too suddenly. I made a beeline for the hall's great doors.

"Hello, Lily," Severus greeted me. His words weren't very enthusiastic but they were sincere.

"I'm sorry I wasn't sorted into Slytherin, Sev," I blurted out, "but we can still be best friends. There are plenty of hours in the day and we can do homework together in the library and meet up between classes. It won't be any different from when we were at home. It'll be better even."

"Yeah," he said a little dejectedly but then he perked up again. "Yeah, of course. Plus we have Herbology, Potions and Astronomy together. But I'm going to try just as hard to beat Gryffindor for the House Cup."

"I wouldn't expect any less. Come on, we still have forty-five minutes before I start Charms."

And so began our complicated friendship in the halls of Hogwarts. It was a very odd arrangement. Strangely enough, we actually saw each other more than we had at home. We met up at breakfast every morning at eight and at first we usually sat at the Gryffindor table on Severus' insistence. When I asked why, he replied that the Gryffindors never bothered us-though they stared a bit- and the standard for Slytherins seemed to have fallen over the past forty years. Then the Gryffindors started to become familiar with this habit and began to involve us in their conversations yet it was awkward for Sev and them. We then just met up outside the hall in the mornings with toast or whatever else there was except for some days when the smell of an incredibly cooked pancake or scone lured us to our significant tables.

We then went out to the lake and, in the first few weeks, we would just sit and talk or maybe read. But later in the term would usually study together. Both Severus and I were bookish and were known as such to our peers.

Then morning classes would start and we usually had to wait until lunch to talk. We ate quickly at our tables and met up in the hall outside. This was usually the time for topics such as the Modern Wizarding World or our House-mates. It was on such an occasion when the subject of James Potter came up again.

"So what is it like sharing a tower with the King of toerags himself?" Severus asked me.

I walked a little bit further, evaluating the question and finally replying "I would barely know he was alive," I said nonchalantly and then a grin broke out, "if he didn't constantly brag about how he would be the first first year in a hundred years to join the house Quidditch team and freeze the water in the girls' showers and wasn't constantly being smart with the teachers and talking during class have the noisiest owl in the Hogwarts menagerie. He's so irritating! And people like it!"

"Is he even any good at magic?"

"I don't know but he won't get any better acting the way he's acting now."

"Are you sure?" said a voice behind me. I whirled around to see James Potter himself, holding a sheet of paper in his left hand. "According to Professor McGonagall's notes, I seem to be the best in the class. Better even than Miss Lily Evans." James smirked. "Of course I can. As for you, I would recommend you to spend less time reading with Slither-face over there and more time with Gryffindors, who, by the way, actually enjoy magic. I, for example, could do the tickling charm by the time I was seven. I learned simply for my own fun."

I felt like stomping on his foot like a little five year old. "Yes but do you know the concept behind the Protection charm or the theories behind the existence of the deathly hallows? Hogwarts is a school and you can't get through school with working hard. And Severus is my friend so stop attacking him!"

"Plus only a cheat would know where a teacher kept her notes," added Severus.

"Maybe...

Hogwarts was a beautiful place. It was magic. But it wasn't perfect. It was like every other school in regards to the students. Worst even. There was so much division. It wasn't just friendly completion: the Ravenclaws, though probably the easiest house to admire, were very isolated; the Hufflepuffs were lovely to be around but they were constantly being torn down by others, Gryffindors included; I had once longed to be a Slytherin but the first word that came to mind when I saw them all together was "daunting" and they lived up to that; as for my house, they were proud and careless seemed to replace courageous.

But I was in a good place that year. Feeling safe and accepted by Severus was enough for me. We relied on each other for everything and it worked for us. During that whole term, I never thought I needed anything else. I was enjoying myself immensely in my own little world. The classes were fascinating and I was very good in most of them, though I lacked in Defensive Magical Theory. I was working very hard and every weekend seemed like a relief. I usually spent most of Saturday in the library because most of the students did all their homework on Sunday, which we usually used for reading by the lake. I continued to favour Muggle books while Severus flipped through anything that caught his fancy.

It was near the end of term, on Sunday, near the lake, when a very serious matter cropped up. I had been reading L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz just out of curiosity and because it was one of the few unread books at the bottom of my trunk. Severus broke the shroud of silence over us: "Lily, you've known you are a witch for nearly three years. Do you remember in the park when I asked you what you wanted to do in life? And you told me you wanted to be a teacher? Well what do you want now?"

That question hit me. I had thought about this a lot. But I still didn't have an answer. "I don't know. Where does someone like me fit in in the Wizarding World?"

"You mean some that's the cleverest in her class? Anywhere."

"I want what I know to be human. A family, a job that I love. I don't know how I'm going to find that here."

Severus turned around completely to look at me. "Then why are you here?" he didn't say this aggressively but with honest curiosity.

"Because I have a gift and the people here at Hogwarts were willing to let me into the magical world that we are currently sitting in. I'm here now and I just have to live with it."

The very next day, Sev supplied me with a list of possible professions. I kept it and put it a pencil case in m trunk and took it out every time I needed either a boost in myself esteem or when I needed to refresh my memory about what my were. It seems almost ridiculous now. It was silly, yes, to think a future could be written on a piece of paper. I never needed it and it came down to no good in the end.

**I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you didn't please don't judge the rest of my story because of it! Up next: A Snivelling Christmas! It's a Christmas special told from Sev's point of view! Any requests for the rest of the story are very much appreciated!**

**-Apolla**

**PS: My beta, the glorious TribalGirl, was confused about Marlene's year. She's in second. That's why she didn't cross with tem on the lake.**


	9. PART 2: ch8 A Snivelling Christmas

**A Snivelling Christmas: Sev's Christmas Special**

Disclaimer:

**JKR: Apolla, who owns Harry Potter?**

**Apolla: I do, of course!**

**JKR: Are you sure?**

**Apolla: Of course! It's all me and me and ME!**

**Rita Skeeter: Oooh, Harry/Hermione moment!**

**Apolla: AHH!**

**JKR: Tell the truth!**

**Apolla: Okay, OKAY.**

**Rita Skeeter: Let me get my Quick Quotes Quill!**

**JKR: Well? **

**Apolla: I don't own Harry Potter! (sob). Now make her apparate out of here!**

**JKR: (mutters incantation)**

**A/N: Yes, I know Christmas was a week ago. I apologise for the delay. Please check out my book reviewing site for teens: pensoul. webs. com (minus, the spaces of course).**

**Quote:"_If there is no joyous way to give a festive gift, give love away."-Anonymous_**

_Dear Severus, _

_Unfortunately it seems your father has been drinking a lot more than he should and we've been having a little trouble at home. I'm sorry, sweetheart, but I don't think coming home for Christmas would be a good idea. You'll have a lovely time at Hogwarts though. It's beautiful there during the holidays and the feast is always worth a taste. Again, I'm very, very sorry. I promise things will be different for Easter. Have a happy Christmas, darling!_

_Love, Mum _

Lily read the letter a second time and finally looked up. I gotten it that morning and taken it out with me to lake. I'd read it once, scanned it again, and had shown it to Lily.

"I'm really sorry, Sev," Lily told me. "I'd ask you to stay but I don't think you and Petunia should be in the same house together."

Normally I would have made a joke about this, but Lily was dead serious. I wasn't in the mood anyway. I was almost sure that "we've been having trouble at home" translated to either we were knee-deep in debt or my father was hitting her Mum again. I wasn't sure I wanted to know;

"I suppose you wouldn't stay here, would you?" I asked hopefully.

"I would, Sev, but I haven't seen my family for three months! I miss them!"

And that is how I came to stay at Hogwarts while Lily rode off on the Hogwarts Express towards her childhood home. I was not happy. During the past three months I'd come to realise that the Slytherins usually hung out in a pack. Immediately they had marked me as a loner. What had infuriated them the most was that I spent most of my time with a Gryffindor. It was treachery to them. But they couldn't ignore me for two weeks, could they? After all there were a little more than seventy Slytherins.

As it turned out, I was lucky. One lunchtime, I sat next to the two other boys in my dorm that had decided to stay for the holidays, Evan Rosier and Jonathan Wilkes. I overheard Rosier complain about Potions: "How am I to know what the use of bezoar is?"

"It heals people who have been poisoned." The both turned and stared at me. It was actually pretty funny. I did a really awkward half-smile and held up the dishevelled copy of _Theories and Concepts behind Potions_, which I had borrowed from the library upon Lily's recommendation. Wilkes looked bewildered. "Do you read a lot of, um, fact books?"

Just as I was about to comment on the fact that I'd been reading them frequently in the dorm rooms, Rosier shut his mouth and promptly hit Wilkes in the shoulder. I heard him mutter "idiot" under his breath. Then to me he said, "Do you think you could tutor me in Potions? My father isn't happy with the marks I've been getting this term and he's threatened to send me to Durmstrang." He glanced at my second-hand robes before continuing. "I could pay you."

I can't pretend I wasn't a bit embarrassed at the offer of cash but the offer was very tempting. "Yeah, alright then," I replied.

To my surprise, over the next few days leading up to Christmas, Wilkes and Rosier actually included me in their activities, though little studying was done. We had several snowball fights, went flying a few times (and my skills were ridiculed), pigged out in the Great Hall and did our very best to confuse the Fat Lady about the password. Needless to say, this was a new experience for me, having grown-up an only child and been home-schooled and having had only Lily, a perfectly-behaved girl, for a friend.

Both of my new friends were incredibly curious about how nerdy I was. I became very self-conscious and frequently explained that I not only knew school-ish kind of things, but also quite a few hexes and bits of dark magic, though I conveniently left out that I'd never really tried any of them. Of course, they also wondered about my Gryffindor best friend. They knew that she was brilliant, having been in the same classes as her for most of the term. I just said she was a childhood friend, something they accepted easily.

Mum had been absolutely right about Christmas at Hogwarts. I woke up that morning feeling fantastic from a dream I'd had about being top of my year and being crowned Sir Severus of Hogsmeade. It took me a few moments to remember it was Christmas Day. Then I heard woops from downstairs. I jumped out of bed and rushed into the Common Room. It was like a Christmas card: there were warm fires, a Christmas tree decorated with the house colours, a tray of toast, butter and jam brought up for the dining hall, and of course, presents. Interestingly, the green and silver that was featured predominantly in the décor stressed the holiday spirit.

Though most of the Slytherins came from rather large, pure-blood families, about fifteen had decided to stay for the holidays for various reasons. Rosier, apparently detested spending Christmas with his extended family and upon hearing that Wilkes' parents were going away for the holidays, the two had decided to stay at Hogwarts. There was also Barty Crouch, the son of a successful member of the Ministry, who frequently made fun of his father clean-cut ways. I supposed he'd rather spend Christmas away from home. I believe there were a few girls, probably Jolene Kaul and her group of friends and I thought I saw Lacerta Selwyn. Professor Slughorn, our head of house, was also there enjoying some treacle toffee. "Happy Christmas, Mr Snape," he greeted me. "Your presents, you'll find, are stacked under the tree. I dare say, this is some very good toffee!"

Indeed, there was a short but neat stack of presents all with my name on them. Most were the rectangular shape of books. That Christmas I received, a tin of mince pies with a Christmas card and a five pound note from my paternal grandmother, a Rubik's cube from my dad and a scarf, two potions books as requested and _A Beginner's Guide to Dark Magic_ with a note saying 'Hogwarts is too soft on you kids! Read on but don't do any experimenting!' all from Mum.

Lily's present was quite weirdly-shaped and was a bit squashed by all the rest. I opened the card first. It said:

_Harry Christmas, Sev, and Happy New Year! _

_I hope you're enjoying yourself and I hope the feast is good. The present isn't very much because I wasn't able to get to Diagon Alley because of, you know, Petunia and my parents. So I got you these earmuffs. But wait! These are just any Muggle contraption. I managed to do a Silencing Charm on them so when you need to be in peace and quiet, you won't be able to hear anything!_

_Lots of love,_

_Lily_

The earmuffs were really comfortably. They were green with two snakes running from the near top of my head to my ears. I tested them and yes, in the middle of a loud, boisterous common room, I didn't hear a thing. I felt a little jealous that Lily was so good at Charms, even though I was better in both Herbology and Defence Against the Dark Arts.

That day, Rosier, Wilkes and I were joined by Barty Crouch in comparing presents. This took most of the morning and in the afternoon we borrowed the self-sliding sleds from the shed. It was so cold I think my hair froze by the time we got in for the feast.

The feast was, of course, incredible. There was turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and about a million different deserts. I was so full it was absolutely irresistible to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The following week, I came down with a very bad cold, as you might expect because of the amount of time I spent outside with the other Slytherins. Now to many, the incident that came about because of this might seem very trivial, but not to me.I was in the infirmary getting cough medicine from Madame Pomfrey. It turns out, Potter and Black, my least favourite students in the entire school, were there in detention scrubbing bedpans. As they passed by, Potter muttered, "Snivellus".

I felt like hitting him but didn't of course because Mme Pomfrey came with the medicine. But that phrase haunted me for seven years and to this day makes me angry.

**Hope you enjoyed the Lily Evans Christmas Special. I know it's already New Years but it's a lot more punctual than I'm used to. Please review, favourite or alert the story. I really want to know if people like this story or hate it! I hope you all had a nice holiday and I wish you a merry 2012! Oh, and thanks to my beta, TribalGirl!**

**-Apolla**


	10. PART 2: ch9 Best in the Class

**Lily Evans-Memories**

**Chapter 9: The Best in the Class**

**Apolla: (evil grin) I'm going to pretend Harry Potter's mine in my new Fanfiction chapter! HA HA HA!**

**JKR: It's not! It's mine! And if you admit it's mine, I can get you tickets for The Magical World of Harry Potter in Orlando!**

**Apolla: Travel fair included?**

**JKR: Sure… Only joking, I can sue you if you don't say it's mine!**

**Apolla: Let's not be so hasty! Ladies, gentlemen and children who read this, let it be known that J.K. Rowling owns all the Harry Potter-related stuff on this site, even though one day she'll regret not having my genius brain and fic ideas.**

**A/N:** **I'm trying to really get ahead on this fic and not publish it late. If anyone who has read my other fic is wondering why I'm not publishing, I'm really sorry about the wait but I can assure you I am not on hiatus. Enjoy!**

It was very hard to not look too excited to be going back to Hogwarts in front of my parents. Christmas hadn't been horrible but it hadn't been like the Christmases we used to have. Of course it had been wonderful to see my parents again, but Petunia seemed to have decided that she would not show one ounce of respect towards me. Needless to say, conversations at the dinner table had been very icy. Petunia filled every one of them with scorn. And every time I talked with my parents about school and my sister walked in, she glared at me and gave me the silent treatment for the rest of the day. The day before my return to King's Cross Station, I came to her bedroom and asked her "Do you want me to stay here? You know, never go back to Hogwarts?"

Petunia flinched at the name of my school. "Would it matter?" she said bitterly.

I hesitated before answering. "No. Maybe it would have two years ago but not now." I turned on my heel and stalked out of her room, determined to think only about my homework and classes until I fell asleep. I felt like my sister didn't even care about me anymore. Besides, if it would take me turning my back on magic for her to accept me, then it wasn't worth it.

The next morning, my dad drove me to King's Cross. For a large part of the ride, he talked about what my sister had done during her first term. She had had a little trouble with her best friend, Angela, and they were now not on speaking terms, she had gotten a poem printed in the school paper, she had ranked third best in her year. And she had done all this without telling me! Petunia was never shy so I assumed she just had quit trying to talk to me at all. All through break, she saw my face each and every day but not once had she even bothered to tell me anything. I knew our bond was gone and still know it but it's hard. Years ago, even after I met Severus, I sometimes went into her room and just let my feelings out. Most of the time she would order me out but on a rare occasion we would actually talk. That hadn't happened this winter and I hadn't even noticed.

_Still_, I thought,_ I won't let Petunia ruin my Christmas. I've never let her ruin anything else and I won't start now_. My parents had been lovely. They had gone to extreme lengths to manage to get into Diagon Alley to get me something special and had returned with a very beautiful moon-shaped amulet and a wand-caring kit, as well as a few Muggle novels I'd written and asked for. My grandfather, who lived in Belgium and whom I'd only seen twice in my life, sent me a crisp ten pound note and Mrs. Snape had gotten me a recent book entitled _Hogwarts, a History_. I'd eagerly opened a very small package from Severus but was slightly annoyed that all I got was a copy of _Advanced Potion Making_-_my_ copy, I later discovered- and a singing Christmas card. After all, I had given him a really personal present that I'd made an effort to make.

I came back to present as Dad drove into a car park near King's Cross. I made a mental note to ask Sev why he had robbed me of my own potions textbook and delivered it again as a gift. The next hour was quite boring. My father is one of those people that reserves extra time for everything. It was alright. What was one brief hour when I wouldn't see my dad again for three months? At least it gave him a chance to buy me several packets of sweets and a fizzy drink for the train.  
>About fifteen minutes before the train left, we got onto the platform and I soon spotted Diana and Marlene, the pair I had sat with on my first ride to Hogwarts.<p>

"Hi, Lily!" said Marlene cheerfully. "Have a good Christmas?"

"It was great! My sister was a pain, of course, but my parents were lovely. How was yours?"

Marlene grinned. "It was absolutely brilliant! Most of my family was there and most of the cousins are younger and at least five of them got toy broomsticks. It drove my Mum mad!"

"And yours, Di?"

"Diana," she corrected me. "It was quiet. My dad was at St. Mungo's."

Marlene frowned, clearly miffed that her friend was casting a shadow over her back-to-school buzz. She patted her awkwardly. "I'm sorry. How'd it happen?"

"It's alright. It happens all the time. My dad checks spells and magical objects for the Ministry and some people are just so silly as to hex things and then pass them along to the Ministry. I spent most of Christmas in the kitchen with my Mum because she's writing a cookbook, or rather trying to. I spent New Year's at Marlene's, though. We should probably go get a compartment."

I hugged my Dad goodbye while Marlene parted from her family and Di thanked them for their hospitality and then we boarded the train. It was still quite early so most compartments were empty and we got our pick. Diana started bragging almost immediately about her new and very expensive astronomy kit much to our annoyance and I brought out the sweets Dad had bought me. By the time the Hogwarts Express pulled out of platform 7 ¼, both Pippa and Emmeline had joined us. It was quite fun, actually, to talk among girls.

By the time we arrived, it was very dark and cold. I was extremely thankful that we didn't have to cross the lake again. Instead, we were herded into silver carriages pulled by invisible horses. It sounds quite glamorous but we were still chilled to the bone. We drudged up the stairs to our dorms and slept as soon as our heads hit the pillow.

The next morning I lay in my bed enjoying the thought of a whole day to reconnect with the world of Hogwarts. Then I remembered that I had a pile of homework that had remained untouched, hopefully with my best friend serving as motivation. I groaned and got up, hoping to see Sev at breakfast. I showered, dressed and carefully put each piece of assigned work I had into my bag, and then left the dorms.

As soon as I came in sight of the Great Hall, I saw Severus there holding a few pieces of toast and my favourite flavour of jam. "Come on, Lily! Some of the Slytherins are having an impromptu Quidditch match with Hufflepuff in a few minutes!"

"Happy New Year to you, too, Sev," I said, raising my eyebrows. "And since when do you like Quidditch? What about those complaints that there are only sport-obsessed numb-skulls in your House?"

"I never said I didn't like Quidditch. Besides, I told them I'd be there."

I know it wasn't right but I felt a pang of jealousy. After all, the only person Severus had seemed to care about in the whole school had been me for three months. So who had he promised to meet all of a sudden? I didn't say anything as we headed for the Quidditch pitch. When we arrived, a boy clad in Slytherin colours waved at us. He had a very neat crop of chestnut hair and eyes with the colour and shine of black olives.

Severus grinned at him and climbed up to his place in the stands. I followed. "Hullo, Evan. This is Lily Evans. Lily, Evan Rosier." I half waved and sat, back stiff and straight. Severus, indifferent to the obvious awkwardness of the situation, started talking animatedly to Rosier about Quidditch. He seemed to have picked up a lot of knowledge about the subject over the holidays. I tried to concentrate on the dozen or so kids on broomsticks. As I could gather, it was like football, except with three hoops and two balls trying to knock the players off their brooms as well as two kids with bats. At one point, a tall beefy Slytherin girl with a bat wrestled a Hufflepuff off her broom but the bully of an astronomy teacher let it slide. Shocked, I turned to Severus and loudly whispered "Is that allowed?"

"I'm not sure," he said. "Probably not."

Surprised at his casual tone, I said "A month ago you cursed everyone who you had seen cheat on that Charms exam!"

"Only because Slytherin House lost fifty points!" He then went right back to talking to Rosier. I stalked off, telling Sev I still had a gigantic pile of homework, which was true. I went straight back to Gryffindor Tower and collapsed into an armchair. I took me two hours to finish all the assigned work, and after that just tidied my bed and read for a while.

After that day, school quickly regained its status as the most important part of students' lives. Severus and I went back to normal. In fact, it was better. We both now had people to talk to at lunch and in our dorms. The only person who seemed to change was a certain James Potter. He had gone from mildly annoying and ignorable to unavoidable. He was always the loudest in the Gryffindor common room, always did everything he could to get around- and by that I mean break- every single rule in the school, always got attention for this. Sometimes the attention was merited, like when McGonagall gave him a stern telling off and sometimes it was an unexplainable admiration from what seemed like every first year.

His biggest fan at that point was another Gryffindor kid named Peter Pettigrew. He was runty with quite beady eyes and was always totally absorbed in whatever Potter was doing. This infuriated me because not only did this prompt Potter's head to grow an inch an hour, but because he treated Peter like absolute dirt! Before his obsession had come to light, Peter had been called pathetic by Potter several times. Now his idol asked him to do chores for him and though he 'allowed' Peter to hang out with him and Black, his new favourite past-time was tormenting him. This, I am happy to report, was something both Emmeline and Marlene were just as disgusted by as me.

"It's not as if he doesn't have friends. Diana told me he used to always hang out with this goody-goody from her house. But they had a huge row after Peter ditched Arnold for Potter."

Another new friend of Potter's was a friendly and clever boy named Remus Lupin. I liked him, honestly I did. He was usually good-natured, though very conservative. I did not understand why he would be friends with James Potter of all people.

Needless to say, both me and Severus detested James Potter. A lot of time, I even thought Sev might be jealous of Potter, though of course he protested when I told him my theory, saying he was the opposite of Potter in every way, though I noticed he never said he liked how he was. As for why _I_ disliked him, Sev touched on it one evening: "You hate him because of how he doesn't even try at all to get good grades yet he gets them anyway."

This was true but Sev wasn't the only one who had things he'd rather not admit. I had never seen James Potter study, ever. But he just knew everything. It drove me crazy. I could feel so amazing when coming into a class and then leave it feeling as dumb as a log. It drove me even crazier knowing that I cared so much. But had been hard, leaving my school, my friends and my dreams behind. During those first few years at Hogwarts, I was constantly aching to go back home, admit defeat and continue on as an average Muggle. But I couldn't. This was neither because I grew attached to Hogwarts, nor because I didn't want to leave Severus, nor even because I felt a need to achieve all my magical courses. Really it was because I'd never fit in the Muggle world. I was a witch at heart, I suppose.

I was enjoying my second term. The first term was very basic but during the second term we started working on magical theory, which I seemed to excel at, especially in Charms and Potions. So by Easter break, I was happy with all my lessons. But there was a dark cloud heading my way.

On the day we were supposed to leave for the Easter holiday, McGonagall came to the Common Room and announced: "The first-fourth year exams will be held shortly after the mid-term break so expect you all to study. We'll show those Ravenclaws!"

We all groaned.


	11. PART 2:ch10 A Few Questions about Tom

**Lily Evans: Memories**

**Chapter 10: A Few Questions about Tom Riddle**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, obviously. (I know this isn't my normal style but unfortunately you don't seem to enjoy my humour...)**

**A/N: So sorry for the tardiness! I finished this ages ago but I had some beta-ing issues. Enjoy and please review. Thanks for all past reviews!**

June 4, 1972

It was exam week at Hogwarts. Everywhere Lily looked, there was a Cheering Charm going wrong or a second year pouring Flobberworm mucus a little too enthusiastically into a pewter cauldron. Breakdowns in the Gryffindor common room were greeted with "shut ups" and no one looked up to admire the red sparks cascading from some poor kid's ruined potion.

I wished it could all be over. I was growing tired with the constant frustration I piled onto myself. I knew I was working hard but I never felt there were any results. I still couldn't get the porcupine quills in my cure for boils to go soft and Professor Flitwick was always reminding me to exaggerate my words and movements and "not let the wand do all the work." Severus was being a star helping but the bigger my swish and flick, the less the book I was practicing with, levitated.

"You need to focus," Sev yawned after a late practice. "Maybe tomorrow you should try with my wand. After all, yours is way more sensitive to charms than most wands."

"Maybe," I answered sleepily. "I'm sorry I've been making you help me instead of working on Transfiguration."

We both slowed down as we reached the Great Hall, where we'd have to go down different corridors. Severus grinned. "I'd much rather get nowhere with Charms than try to tackle Transfiguration. Besides, I'll do fine at practical. And the spell theory is almost down too."

"Sev, you got a Poor at the Uses of Modern Transfiguration," I pointed out.

"I know! But I better go now. Malfoy starts prefect patrols in maybe five minutes." He turned and stepped into the passage that led to the dungeons.

Begrudgingly, I walked up the staircase leading to Gryffindor. I groaned as it started to move. Back in the autumn, it had petrified me. But I'd gotten used to it. Still, I felt too tired and worn out to do anything about it. When it stopped, I stepped off. I found myself in a part of the castle I'd never been before. It was a long corridor, very dusty and dark. You could describe a bit more here

"_Lumos_!" I whispered and my wand's tip lit up. The corridor was nowhere near as lavishly decorated as the rest of the castle but it carried its own sort of charm. It was very dark with not a lamp in sight but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a star twinkle out of a broken stained glass window. The room was covered with these windows. They depicted nymphs and dryads and centaurs and witches and wizards. I recognised the four founders of our school: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. They were never together, though, rather the windows showed of their exploits before Hogwarts.

There were several doors leading off the corridor, though only two or three could possibly have been in use and I was sure I'd never been in any of them. I was about to turn around and head back to the Gryffindor Tower when I heard voices at the very end of the hall. Curiosity turned my good sense to mush and I padded down the corridor to the last door.

The voices grew louder as I approached and I could eventually make McGonagall's voice. She was saying "Albus, I really don't see how you can keep ignoring this threat. Clearly, there is someone, maybe even a large party behind these disappearances."

"Minerva," said a croaky voice I recognised as Professor Slughorn's, "I'm sure Albus can see that but there doesn't seem to be very much we can do, is there?"

"No, Horace," said Dumbledore pensively, "There is a great deal we can do. Locate them for a start. The trouble is how to do it."

"Surely we could use a Tracking Spell of some sort," Flitwick squeaked. "There are Muggles that have disappeared too!"

There was a pause, the teachers waiting for Dumbledore's reply. I heard muttering, as if the headmaster was speaking to himself. "It can't be the only thing he's doing. He's cleverer than that. He's either biding his time or he's up to something."

"Who, Albus?" asked Professor McGonagall. She sounded startled. By that time, I was very confused by the entire situation. Who were they talking about? They had mentioned disappearances but why were they so unnerved by them. I knew just by reading Muggle newspapers that people disappeared all the time. Still, I had a guilty feeling tugging at my stomach. This conversation was not for my ears.

I resolved to go back to the Tower before I was caught and got detention. But that didn't stop me from hearing Dumbledore murmur "Tom Marvolo Riddle."

* * *

><p>"Lily, wake up!"<p>

I rolled around in my bed to see Emmeline, already dressed, shaking me. I sit up quickly. "What time is it?"

"Don't worry, it's only 7:30," she told me. "If you want, I'll wait for you to get dressed and we can revise Potions together at breakfast." Emmeline was a rather small girl with dark brown hair, very round and bright brown eyes, and a slim pink mouth. She lived with her dad, a wizard, in London. I had liked her from the first week we were at Hogwarts because of her compassion and very calm attitude, which was noticeable in a place where bravery sometimes translated to recklessness.

I groan. "That's right, it's the Potions exam today." I sigh. "Alright, give me ten minutes".

On our way down to the Great Hall, I explained the conversation I overheard the night before on my way back from studying with Severus. "It was all very curious. I mean, you would expect them to have this kind of conversation in Dumbledore's office or something. They seemed very worried."

"They should be. There've been a lot of disappearances in the Daily Prophet in the past year and, worst than that, the Ministry has been acting very strangely," said Emmeline in a low voice.

"What do you mean, 'the Ministry's been acting strangely'?" I asked, surprised. Why were the teachers being so secretive if the whole Wizarding World knew about this?

"Oh, I don't know," she said distractedly. "Some of them have started acting like the world is going to end tomorrow. The Minister's installing all kinds of security measures and they keep sending Wizarding families pamphlet. My Dad just chucks them in the bin."

"Oh," I said, a little disappointed. As we came in to the Great Hall, I remembered something. "Have you ever heard of the man they mentioned? Tom Marvolo Riddle?"

"That's a strange name," Emmeline remarked as she sat down at the Gryffindor table and served herself some porridge. "Tom Marvolo Riddle," she said as if savouring the name. "I don't understand. The kidnappings, if that's what they are, have always been anonymous. If Dumbledore knows who it is, why wouldn't he tell people?"

"I don't know." Suddenly, I was eager to change the subject. "Are there any potions you're having trouble with?"

Emmeline still looked troubled but she answered me anyway. "No, honestly all I don't know is the chapter on the properties of ingredients."

* * *

><p>I didn't see Severus until after our Potions exam that day. Severus caught up with me after, blabbering on about how he was certain he made his sleeping potion too thick, although I knew he hadn't. Sev is a genius at Potions, good enough to be a professor one day, maybe even an inventor. Halfway into his rant about his potion's texture, I interrupted him. "Do you know who Tom Marvolo Riddle is?"<p>

He didn't meet my eyes as he said "Most people don't know his real name."

I was overwhelmingly curious. I would finally find out who Dumbledore was talking about. "Who's real name?" I asked, waiting on baited breath.

"Most people don't know his real name," he repeated slowly, "because he goes by Lord Voldemort."

"Lord Voldemort?" I exclaimed. "What kind of name is that?"

"Don't talk so loud!" Sev whispered.

"Why?"

Severus sighed and looked through his bag. He pulled out his Transfiguration notebook as he said "He isn't exactly most people's favourite person, Lily. Lord Voldemort was a Slytherin at this school over thirty years ago. He was probably one of the brightest pupils this school ever had. But after Hogwarts, you see, he started studying the Dark Arts. He disappeared for a while but now he's back." Severus looked at me curiously for a while. "Why do you want to know anyway?"

I quickly the recounted the tale of how I had overheard the teachers in the room in the third floor corridor. Severus looked at me in shock. "You didn't even stay to hear what they were saying about him? I thought Gryffindors were meant to be brave!"

"Brave, yes, not stupid." I told him. I lowered my voice. "Anyway, what I want to know is why he's kidnapping people, kidnapping Muggles!

Severus looked away, fiddling with his green and silver tie. "I don't know. Nobody knows, really. Nobody even knows if it's really him!"

"Except for Dumbledore," I said. "Dumbledore was certain."

* * *

><p>June 18, 1972<p>

_Dear Mum, _

_We got our exam results back on Friday. Yes, mum, I passed, with high marks actually. Professor Grimoire did note that, though I was obviously not to do magic at home, I was to review practical Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons during the summer. Anyway, tonight is the end of term feast, where they present the House Cup to the House with the most points. I don't even think anybody knows who will win because Ravenclaw and Slytherin are almost neck and neck. I know Gryffindor won't win thanks to James Potter! I hope for Severus's sake that it's Slytherin. _

_See you tomorrow,_

_Lily_

I walked down the Grand Staircase on the night of the Leaving Feast with Pippa, Emmeline and Marlene. We were joking about how there hadn't been a steady DADA teacher for three years and we were going through different reasons why Professor Grimoire might not come back next year. Though it was already quite early, the Hall was more packed than ever. It was rare that all the students were ever eating at the same time because of the long breaks and though there was enough room, the noise threatened to deafen you. I sat down at one of the last spaces between Remus Lupin and a girl named Sutton, who was in her fifth year. "Hello," I said to Remus.

"Hi, Lily. Any idea who's going to win tonight?" he replied, pointing at the house point hourglasses.

"None. They look exactly the same to me. I'm rooting for Slytherin, though."

Remus knew better than to be surprised by this. He knew James constantly teased me for being friends with Severus. "I reckon it'll be Ravenclaw. Even Lucius Malfoy can't control the mouths of some of those kids."

"Remus," I said after a few minutes. "Why are you friends with Potter?"

He frowned, looking across the table at Sirius and James. "He's not a bad bloke, he really isn't. He's helped me with some, um, problems of mine and he really is fun." I scoffed and he smiled. "He fancies you, you know."

I choked on the pumpkin juice I was drinking. "I'm sorry, what? James Potter does NOT fancy me. Even if he did, I wouldn't go out with him for a thousand galleons."

"I'll tell him," Remus said, chuckling into his goblet.

At that moment, a hush fell on the students as Dumbledore stood. "Good evening. Congratulations! You have survived another year at Hogwarts. Every year I am astounded that not one of you has died or gone mad." McGonagall cleared her throat loudly. "Yes, of course. I understand that you are all gripped with hunger and I will not blabber on too long. For starters, I am sorry to say that Professor Grimoire has decided to leave Hogwarts and move on to writing his own spell book. We all wish him the best of luck. I am also excited to announce that for the first time, the elective class Ancient Runes will be made available to third year students next year. And now, the moment I'm sure you're all waiting for: the House Cup."

Professor McGonagall stood. "The points presently stand thus: Gryffindor: 137 points, thanks to our very own Mr. Potter." Amid the light applause, James stood up and bowed. Sirius hooted with laughter. "Hufflepuff: 202 points. Slytherin: 264 points. Which means that Ravenclaw, at 267 points, is the winner of this year's House Cup!"

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry that you didn't win the House Cup, Sev," I said to Severus the next morning on our way to the Hogsmeade station.<p>

"That's alright. I had a good year, even so. What about you, Lily? How was your first year?"

"I'm pleased to go home, of course. I miss Mum and Dad and Mable, I even miss Petunia. But I don't think I could bare it if I couldn't come back to Hogwarts! I think it's where I belong."

**A/N: Hi! Thank you for reading. I'm so sorry for taking much longer than I planned with this chapter and I really hope I can have the next up in the next week or so since I have already started it. I'd also like to thank my friend sushi11tiger, who has offered my continual support and listened to me blabber on about Lily and Severus and who kindly offered to beta this chapter for me.**


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